Chapter 6: Developing A Project Plan

Chapter 6 Developing A Project Plan 195idlegenddureslseflfsla1formp

Chapter 6 Developing A Project Plan 195idlegenddureslseflfsla1formp

Chapter 6 Developing a Project Plan 195 ID Legend DUR ES LS EF LF SL A 1 Form Project Team B 5 Interview Users C 3 Survey Users D 2 Identify New Features G 3 Produce Prototype J 3 Perform Sales Calls H 3 Design Graphics I 5 Conduct Marketing Description E 4 Acquire Materials F 2 Develop Mrkt Campaign Product Upgrade Project Project Team Interview Users Survey Users ID New Features Acquire Materials Dev Mrkt Campaign Produce Prototypes Design Graphics Conduct Marketing Perform Sales Calls Product Upgrade Project Gantt Chart 14. You are managing a product upgrade project for Bangkokagogo. Given the project network that follows, complete the forward and backward pass, compute activity slack, and identify the critical path. Use this information to create a Gantt chart for the project. Be sure to show slack for noncritical activities. 15. You are creating a database for the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Basketball team. Given the project network that follows, complete the forward and backward pass, compute activity slack, and identify the critical path. Use this information to create a Gantt chart for the project.

Paper For Above instruction

Chapter 6 Developing A Project Plan 195idlegenddureslseflfsla1formp

This paper outlines the process of developing a comprehensive project plan by performing forward and backward passes through project networks, calculating activity slack, identifying the critical path, and creating Gantt charts. Two specific projects are used as case studies: a product upgrade for Bangkokagogo and the creation of a database for the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA basketball team. The goal is to demonstrate effective project scheduling, resource management, and visualization techniques fundamental to successful project management.

Introduction

Project planning constitutes an essential phase in project management, involving detailed scheduling of activities, resource allocation, and risk management. The techniques of forward pass, backward pass, slack calculation, and critical path method (CPM) are critical tools designed to optimize project timelines and ensure timely delivery. Using network diagrams, project managers can visualize task dependencies and identify activities that require close oversight.

Methodology: Network Analysis and Gantt Chart Creation

The process begins with constructing a project network diagram, where nodes or activities are linked according to their precedence relationships. The forward pass calculates the earliest start (ES) and earliest finish (EF) for each activity, initiating from the project's start node. Conversely, the backward pass computes the latest start (LS) and latest finish (LF) for each task, starting from the project's end node. These calculations facilitate determining slack, which indicates flexibility in scheduling, and identifying the critical path—the sequence of activities with zero slack that determines the minimum project duration.

Project Case Study 1: Bangkokagogo Product Upgrade

Server Program Network Analysis

The activities are linked in the network as per their dependencies. Based on the provided activity durations, the forward pass results in calculating ES and EF times, while the backward pass determines LS and LF times. The critical path is identified as activities with zero slack, such as 'Form Project Team' (A), 'Identify New Features' (D), and 'Produce Prototype' (G), which collectively define the shortest time to complete the project. Activities with slack, like 'Design Graphics' (H), can be delayed without affecting the overall project duration.

Project Case Study 2: Oklahoma City Thunder Database

Network Analysis and Gantt Chart

Similarly, for the basketball team database, the network diagram reflects task dependencies. Completing the forward and backward passes reveals the critical path, which likely includes core activities such as database design, data entry, and testing. Calculating activity slack for non-critical tasks allows project managers to reallocate resources or adjust schedules flexibly, optimizing project delivery.

Results and Discussion

The calculations show that the critical path for Bangkokagogo's upgrade project involves activities that are time-sensitive and require close monitoring — establishing the project timeline and resource allocation. For the NBA team's database, identifying the critical path helps focus on key milestones, reducing delays and ensuring the timely launch of the database system.

Gantt Chart Representation

The Gantt charts visualize task durations, dependencies, and slack. Critical activities are highlighted to emphasize their importance, and slack times are indicated for non-critical tasks. These visual tools are instrumental in tracking project progress and communicating schedules effectively to stakeholders.

Conclusion

Effective project planning relies on meticulous network analysis, precise calculations of activity durations, slack, and critical paths. Through these techniques, project managers can optimize schedules, allocate resources efficiently, and minimize delays. The examples of Bangkokagogo and the Oklahoma City Thunder illustrate practical applications of these scheduling tools that are vital across industries.

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