tools that are available for the planning and control of projects

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Project Management Tools

This week’s readings discussed tools that are available for the planning and control of projects. These tools include WBSs, Gantt charts, and PERT/CPM networks.

In this assignment, you will design CPM and PERT networks to meet the requirements of an engineering firm. The firm needs solutions for the following problem:

One of the firm’s existing projects needs to be completed earlier than planned. Use the following data and the critical path and PERT methods to answer the questions that follow. Use the “most likely time” estimate (m) as the time estimate for the CPM analysis.

Activity

Immediate Predecessors

Times in Days

a

m

b

A

None

1

3

5

B

None

1

2

3

C

A

1

2

3

D

A

2

3

4

E

B

3

4

11

F

C, D

3

4

5

G

D, E

1

4

7

H

F, G

2

4

6

· Draw the network.

· Describe the critical path using the CPM approach.

· Analyze what the estimated completion time using the CPM approach is.

· Analyze what the estimated completion time using the PERT approach is.

· Assess why the estimated completion times are not identical in the two approaches.

· Under what circumstances would the CPM approach to developing a project plan be more appropriate? Under what circumstances would the PERT approach be more appropriate?