Calculating and Interpreting a Project Network Diagram Essay
1189 Words
Mar 17th, 2011
5 Pages
In the world of project management, utilizing the three-point technique can prove to be an invaluable tool. In addition to the three-point technique applying the earliest-start (ES), earliest-finish (EF), latest-start (LS), and latest-finish (LF) procedure to identify the critical path, the project completion time, and the slack for each task can prove to be set of invaluable data that will assist the project manager in accurately determining task duration estimates for the entire scope of work for the project. In this week’s assignment we will explore a construction company and the associated time estimates for each task as it relates to their entire project.
In Table 1.0 you will find the results of our initial analysis which includes …show more content…
In Table 1.0 you will find the results of our initial analysis which includes …show more content…
This means that each of the tasks that have a value of 0 cannot have any delays as it will result in the entire construction project being delayed.
Table 1.0 - Note: Each task is estimated in weeks (ex. Task A optimistic estimate = 4 weeks)
Task
O M P E ES EF LS LF Slack
A 4 7 10 7 1 7 2 8 1
B 2 10 24 11 8 18 9 19 1
C 8 12 16 12 8 19 8 19 0
D 4 9 14 9 8 16 21 29 13
E 1 2 3 2 19 20 28 29 9
F 6 8 22 10 20 29 20 29 0
G 2 3 4 3 19 21 27 29 8
H 2 2 2 2 30 31 30 31 0
I 6 6 6 6 17 22 26 31 9
J 4 7 16 8 32 39 32 39 0
Our next exercise will consist of 4 different scenarios to show what could happen to the construction company’s project completion time-line if there is movement within any given task.
Scenario 1 – Task D and E are delayed by 9 weeks: Task D has an EF date of 16; thus, if 9 additional weeks were added to task D it would be completed at the end of week 25. Task E has an EF of 20 and by adding 9 additional weeks task E would be completed at the end of week 29. Therefore, the 9 additional weeks added to both task D and task E will not have any affect to its successor task H as the LS for task H is week 30. Moreover, the slack outlined for both tasks indicates as well that an additional 9 week delay does not impact the overall project completion timeline.
Scenario 2 – Task B delayed 3 weeks: Task B has a slack value of 1; therefore, any delay beyond 1
Table 1.0 - Note: Each task is estimated in weeks (ex. Task A optimistic estimate = 4 weeks)
Task
O M P E ES EF LS LF Slack
A 4 7 10 7 1 7 2 8 1
B 2 10 24 11 8 18 9 19 1
C 8 12 16 12 8 19 8 19 0
D 4 9 14 9 8 16 21 29 13
E 1 2 3 2 19 20 28 29 9
F 6 8 22 10 20 29 20 29 0
G 2 3 4 3 19 21 27 29 8
H 2 2 2 2 30 31 30 31 0
I 6 6 6 6 17 22 26 31 9
J 4 7 16 8 32 39 32 39 0
Our next exercise will consist of 4 different scenarios to show what could happen to the construction company’s project completion time-line if there is movement within any given task.
Scenario 1 – Task D and E are delayed by 9 weeks: Task D has an EF date of 16; thus, if 9 additional weeks were added to task D it would be completed at the end of week 25. Task E has an EF of 20 and by adding 9 additional weeks task E would be completed at the end of week 29. Therefore, the 9 additional weeks added to both task D and task E will not have any affect to its successor task H as the LS for task H is week 30. Moreover, the slack outlined for both tasks indicates as well that an additional 9 week delay does not impact the overall project completion timeline.
Scenario 2 – Task B delayed 3 weeks: Task B has a slack value of 1; therefore, any delay beyond 1