Develop A Project Network With At Least 20 Steps

Develop A Project Network Consisting Of At Least 20 Steps That Shou

Develop a project network consisting of at least 20 steps that should be done to complete the project. As the case suggests, keep the level of detail for these activities general, rather than specific. Be sure to indicate some degree of precedence relationship among the activities.

Suppose you now wanted to calculate duration estimates for these activities. How would you make sure of the following approaches? Are some more useful than others? a) Expert b) Past history c) Mathematical derivation.

Joe is trying to decide which scheduling format to employ for his planning: AON or AOA. What are some of the issues that Joe should first consider prior to choosing between these methods?

Paper For Above instruction

Project management requires meticulous planning and scheduling to ensure timely and efficient completion of projects. Developing a comprehensive project network, accurately estimating activity durations, and selecting appropriate scheduling formats are vital components of effective project management. This paper explores the process of creating a detailed project network with at least 20 general activities, examines the methods for estimating activity durations, and discusses critical considerations for choosing between Activity-On-Node (AON) and Activity-On-Arrow (AOA) scheduling formats.

Developing a Project Network with at Least 20 Activities

Creating a project network involves identifying all essential activities necessary for project completion and establishing their logical sequence based on precedence relationships. For a complex project, at least 20 activities should be outlined at a general level, focusing on major tasks rather than minute details, to maintain clarity and manageability. For example, activities such as "Site Preparation," "Foundation Laying," "Structural Framing," "Electrical Wiring," and "Final Inspection" can be included. Precedence relationships indicate which activities must be completed before others can commence, forming the backbone of the network diagram.

The activities should be organized logically, starting with initial tasks like planning and site assessment, progressing through construction phases, and concluding with testing and project closeout. The network can be represented visually as a flow chart or arrow diagram, reflecting activity dependencies. Properly establishing these relationships helps identify critical paths and potential bottlenecks, crucial for effective project scheduling and resource allocation.

Estimating Activity Durations: Approaches and Their Efficacy

Estimating the duration of project activities is essential for accurate scheduling. Three primary approaches dominate this process: expert judgment, past history, and mathematical derivation. Each method offers advantages and disadvantages, which influence their applicability depending on the project's context.

Expert judgment involves consulting individuals with relevant experience and knowledge about similar activities. Experts can provide insights based on practical understanding, especially when historical data is scarce or the activity is novel. However, this approach might be subjective and prone to biases. Nevertheless, it is often the quickest method and can incorporate qualitative factors that raw data might overlook.

Past history utilizes data from previous projects to estimate durations. When similar tasks have been completed before, historical data offers a valuable benchmark, increasing accuracy. The primary limitation is that no two projects are identical; differences in scope, technology, or resources can render past data less precise.

Mathematical derivation applies statistical models such as PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) to estimate activity durations, especially under uncertainty. PERT uses three estimates—optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic—to compute an expected duration, accommodating variability and providing probabilistic insight into project timelines. This method is particularly useful in early planning stages when precise data is unavailable but requires careful estimation of input data.

Assessing which approach is most useful depends on availability of data, project complexity, and time constraints. Often, combining methods—such as using expert judgment supplemented by historical data and probabilistic models—yields the most reliable estimates.

Deciding Between AON and AOA Scheduling Formats

Joe’s decision to choose between Activity-On-Node (AON) and Activity-On-Arrow (AOA) scheduling formats depends on several key considerations. Both formats serve to represent project activities and their dependencies but differ in visual representation and usability.

First, Joe should evaluate the complexity of the project. AON, also known as precedence diagramming method (PDM), is more flexible and easily accommodates complex projects with multiple dependencies and parallel activities. It depicts activities as nodes and dependencies as connecting arrows, facilitating straightforward updates and modifications.

In contrast, AOA uses arrows to represent activities, with nodes indicating events or milestones. AOA is traditionally associated with the Critical Path Method (CPM) but becomes cumbersome for projects with numerous parallel activities or multiple dependencies, making it less desirable for large or intricate projects.

Other considerations include the familiarity and software tools available. Most modern project management software prefer AON due to its simplicity and clarity. Joe should also consider the ease of communicating the schedule to stakeholders and integrating with other project documentation.

Finally, the nature of the specific project, including the type of activities, dependency complexity, and required flexibility, should guide Joe's choice. For most contemporary projects, AON is preferred due to its adaptability and widespread usage, but certain traditional or legacy projects might still employ AOA.

Conclusion

Developing a detailed project network with at least 20 activities, selecting appropriate duration estimation approaches, and choosing the right scheduling format are critical steps towards effective project management. While each element presents unique challenges, understanding their principles and implications helps project managers optimize planning, resource allocation, and execution strategies, ultimately leading to successful project completion.

References

• Kerzner, H. (2017). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. Wiley.