IT Project Mgt

Individual Assignment #3
Part 1: Critical Path Analysis
Given the information provided in Table 1:
1.
Prepare an Activity on the Node (AON) Network Diagram (you may use
MS Project to do this if you
wish, or any drawing tool);
2.
Prepare a table of the possible activity
paths (See Table 7.2 on p. 154 in
Marchewka for an example) and
identify the cr
itical path;
3.
Assume that adding an additional pers
on to the project allows the project
manager to reduce any task
under PM
control that is 4 or more days long
by one day (
tasks P, Q, and R are external and cannot be changed
).
How does this affect the critical pat
h, and what is t
he duration of the
project with the added resources?
Important Note: Be sure to
take into consideration any
special dependencies indicated
in the chart (e.g., start-to-start, finish-to-fi
nish) when calculating durations, slack, critical
path, etc. The normal dependency unless otherwise st
ated is finish-to-star
t. If there is a
delay between two activities, it is shown as
a plus or minus offset. For example, a
start-
to-start + 5
dependency means the dependent task is
planned to start 5 days after the
start of the predecessor ta
sk. Any special dependencies shown only apply to the
immediate task listed to the left,
not to the other tasks in the list.
Marchewka
–
5
th
Edition
Individual Assignment #3
Part 2: Earned Value Analysis
Senior management has reques
ted a status update on the
workstation installation
project. As a part of this
update, managers have r
equested that you present an Earned
Value analysis (EVA). I have imagined three
scenarios for project cost and schedule
metrics that could have occurred for this projec
t, shown in Table 3. As of the end of the
reporting period, according to the original
schedule, you were expecting to have
completed all work through Activity I.
1. Calculate the values indicated in Table
2 for each of the three scenarios and provide
a verbal interpretation of what each answer m
eans. I have filled in the first answer as an
example of what senior management expects.
2. Provide a written interpretation
of the results. For each scenario:
a. What would be the implications for managi
ng the project (e.g.,
corrective actions, if
any)?
b. What statement would need to
be made to the project stakeholders?
Be sure to take into account all work co
mpleted to date in making your calculations,
even if the work was not scheduled to be co
mpleted at this time (i.e., is ahead of
schedule). Use the assumption t
hat the project can take cr
edit for partially complete
work. (Hint: for Scenario 3, take into
account the partial work done on Task J).
Use the
ETC based on typical variances
and the
EAC using CPI
methods for computing
ETC and EAC (Study the section on Project
Metrics starting on p. 211 in Marchewka
and related sections in the PMBOK Guide).
Some additional notes:
The deliverable is to fill out the matrix of earned value
calculations for each of the th
ree scenarios, given the informa
tion provided in Table 3. I
recommend that you use Excel
or another spreadshe
et program to do
the calculations,
using the standard formulas as shown in Ma
rchewka and the PMBO
K Guide. Each of
the scenarios should give you slightly differ
ent results for most of the calculations,
especially those for cost and schedule performanc
e. Also, it is impo
rtant that you use
the ETC based on typical variances and the
EAC using CPI calculations; otherwise you
will arrive at different answers than I have ca
lculated. I filled in the answer for the first
calculation which, based on the assignment, i
ndicated that the expected work to have
been completed at this point in the hypothet
ical project was through Activity I. In
performing your calculations, assume that t
he percentages complete are correct for all
activities as of the date y
ou are preparing the table, and gi
ve credit for any work that
has been partially completed, even if it is ahead of schedule.

IT Project Mgt

Individual Assignment #3
Part 1: Critical Path Analysis
Given the information provided in Table 1:
1.
Prepare an Activity on the Node (AON) Network Diagram (you may use
MS Project to do this if you
wish, or any drawing tool);
2.
Prepare a table of the possible activity
paths (See Table 7.2 on p. 154 in
Marchewka for an example) and
identify the cr
itical path;
3.
Assume that adding an additional pers
on to the project allows the project
manager to reduce any task
under PM
control that is 4 or more days long
by one day (
tasks P, Q, and R are external and cannot be changed
).
How does this affect the critical pat
h, and what is t
he duration of the
project with the added resources?
Important Note: Be sure to
take into consideration any
special dependencies indicated
in the chart (e.g., start-to-start, finish-to-fi
nish) when calculating durations, slack, critical
path, etc. The normal dependency unless otherwise st
ated is finish-to-star
t. If there is a
delay between two activities, it is shown as
a plus or minus offset. For example, a
start-
to-start + 5
dependency means the dependent task is
planned to start 5 days after the
start of the predecessor ta
sk. Any special dependencies shown only apply to the
immediate task listed to the left,
not to the other tasks in the list.
Marchewka
–
5
th
Edition
Individual Assignment #3
Part 2: Earned Value Analysis
Senior management has reques
ted a status update on the
workstation installation
project. As a part of this
update, managers have r
equested that you present an Earned
Value analysis (EVA). I have imagined three
scenarios for project cost and schedule
metrics that could have occurred for this projec
t, shown in Table 3. As of the end of the
reporting period, according to the original
schedule, you were expecting to have
completed all work through Activity I.
1. Calculate the values indicated in Table
2 for each of the three scenarios and provide
a verbal interpretation of what each answer m
eans. I have filled in the first answer as an
example of what senior management expects.
2. Provide a written interpretation
of the results. For each scenario:
a. What would be the implications for managi
ng the project (e.g.,
corrective actions, if
any)?
b. What statement would need to
be made to the project stakeholders?
Be sure to take into account all work co
mpleted to date in making your calculations,
even if the work was not scheduled to be co
mpleted at this time (i.e., is ahead of
schedule). Use the assumption t
hat the project can take cr
edit for partially complete
work. (Hint: for Scenario 3, take into
account the partial work done on Task J).
Use the
ETC based on typical variances
and the
EAC using CPI
methods for computing
ETC and EAC (Study the section on Project
Metrics starting on p. 211 in Marchewka
and related sections in the PMBOK Guide).
Some additional notes:
The deliverable is to fill out the matrix of earned value
calculations for each of the th
ree scenarios, given the informa
tion provided in Table 3. I
recommend that you use Excel
or another spreadshe
et program to do
the calculations,
using the standard formulas as shown in Ma
rchewka and the PMBO
K Guide. Each of
the scenarios should give you slightly differ
ent results for most of the calculations,
especially those for cost and schedule performanc
e. Also, it is impo
rtant that you use
the ETC based on typical variances and the
EAC using CPI calculations; otherwise you
will arrive at different answers than I have ca
lculated. I filled in the answer for the first
calculation which, based on the assignment, i
ndicated that the expected work to have
been completed at this point in the hypothet
ical project was through Activity I. In
performing your calculations, assume that t
he percentages complete are correct for all
activities as of the date y
ou are preparing the table, and gi
ve credit for any work that
has been partially completed, even if it is ahead of schedule.