Activity II: A Project Has 11 Activities That Can Be Accompl ✓ Solved

Activity II: A project has 11 activities that can be accomplished either

Activity II: A project involves 11 activities, each of which can be completed by a single individual working alone or by multiple people collaborating. The activities are constrained by specific precedence relationships, and each activity has estimated durations. The goal is to develop an activity-on-arrow (AOA) network diagram, identify the critical path, and compute total and free slacks assuming a single worker per task. Additionally, the project manager wants to create an early-start Gantt chart, develop a daily personnel assignment plan for minimum project duration, and a workforce-balanced schedule. Finally, the potential project compression benefits with unlimited resources are to be analyzed.

Paper For Above Instructions

In project management, effective planning and scheduling are crucial for timely project completion. The scenario with 11 activities, which can be executed by one or several workers, requires a detailed analysis to optimize resource utilization and minimize project duration. This paper discusses the steps involved in creating an AOA network, identifying the critical path, calculating slack times, and devising scheduling strategies including Gantt charts and personnel assignment sheets.

Developing the AOA Network Diagram

The activity-on-arrow (AOA) network diagram visually represents project activities and their precedence relationships. Each activity is depicted as an arrow, with nodes indicating the start or end points. To construct this diagram, the precedence constraints must be clearly defined. For example, activities that must be completed before others can commence are linked accordingly. In this scenario, each activity’s duration and dependency are crucial inputs. Using the provided data, the network diagram can be constructed step-by-step, illustrating the flow of activities from project start to finish.

Determining the Critical Path

The critical path represents the longest sequence of activities that determines the project's minimum completion time. To identify it, a forward pass computes the earliest start (ES) and earliest finish (EF) for each activity, while a backward pass determines the latest start (LS) and latest finish (LF) times without delaying the project. The activities with zero slack form the critical path. Accurate identification of the critical path helps focus management efforts on activities that directly impact project completion time.

Calculating Total and Free Slacks

Total slack refers to the amount of time an activity can be delayed without affecting the overall project duration. Free slack indicates how long an activity can be delayed without delaying subsequent activities. These metrics are derived from the network diagram and help prioritize activities during resource allocation, especially when resources are limited. Activities with zero slack are critical and require close monitoring.

Creating an Early-Start Gantt Chart

The early-start Gantt chart visually represents the project schedule based on the earliest start times of activities. It facilitates easy identification of activity durations and overlaps, assisting project managers in planning work sequences and resource deployment effectively. This chart supports proactive management and helps anticipate potential delays.

Developing Daily Personnel Assignment Sheets

Two types of personnel schedules are to be prepared: one aiming for the minimum total project duration and another to balance workforce utilization. The former prioritizes accelerating critical activities, possibly overworking personnel. The latter seeks to distribute tasks evenly across available days and personnel, promoting workforce sustainability and flexibility. Detailed daily assignment sheets specify which personnel are engaged on each activity, considering activity durations and resource constraints.

Assessing Project Compression Potential

Unlimited personnel resources can significantly reduce project duration through parallel task execution. By analyzing the critical path and potential overlaps, management can estimate the extent to which the project schedule can be compressed. This assessment involves simulating resource allocation without constraints, identifying bottlenecks, and quantifying the days saved.

Conclusion

Effective project scheduling, leveraging techniques like AOA networks, slack calculations, and Gantt charts, allows for optimized resource utilization and adherence to timelines. While resource limitations influence scheduling strategies, understanding the bounds of project compression enables better strategic planning and decision-making for project completion.

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