Project Management

A Project can be defined as a set of related activities which have a definite starting point and ending point that pursues a well defined goals and uses a definite set of resources.

Project management is the use to modern management techniques to carry out and complete a project from start to finish in order to achieve pre-set target of quality, time and cost.

Use of project manager:

1. To manage resources.
2. To manage time.
3. To manage money.
4. To manage scope.

Network analysis minimise:

1. Loss of time.
2. Cash flow problems.
3. Material wastage.
4. Capital.

Failure to complete project on time, result to:

• Bad publicity.
• Loss if future contracts.
• Penalty payments.

Advantages of project analysis:

• To facilitate planning and coordination of large projects.
• To identify critical activities.
• To identify the critical path.
• To identify total project duration.

Type of network:

1. Activity on Arrow (AOA)
2. Activity on Node (AON)

AOA diagram are limited to showing only the finish to start relationship.

The arrow represents activity spans the time.

AON diagram place the activity on the node and the interconnection arrow illustrate the dependencies between the activities.

Program Evolution review Technique (PERT) chart is a project management tool used to schedule, organise and coordinate tasks within a project.


Critical path
If all the paths through a network diagram are identified and time, the path with the longest time is known as the critical path

Critical path method (CPM)
The critical path method is a step-by-step project management technique for process planning that defines critical and non critical task with the goal of preventing time frame problems and process bottlenecks.
Advantages:

1. Makes dependencies visible.
2. Organise large and complex projects.
3. Reduce duration.

Slack time
The extra time is known as the slack time. (slack time = latest start - earliest start)

University of Mauritius past papers Question and Answer

May 2014 Question. 3

(a) Explain the use of critical path method (CPM) in project management.   [4 marks] 

• Planning of projects.
• Reduce wastage.
• Manage time of production.
• Manage cost.

(b) The activities in a project are shown in the table below : 

A - 6 B - 2 C A 6 D A 8 E B,C 9 F D 3 G D 7 H E,F 4 I G,H 6 J I 5 K I 9 L J 4 M K 2 N L,M 8

(i)  Draw the project network using AOA method.          [5 marks] 

 

(ii)  Determine the earliest times (ES & EF) latest times (LS & LF) for each activity.  

(iii)  What is the slack time for each individual activity?      

(iv)  Determine the critical path for this project.                       [1 mark]  

        ACEHIKMN

(v)   Determine the expected completion time for the total project.                     [1 mark] 

        50 WEEKS

May 2013 Question. 3May 2013 Question. 3May 2013 Question. 3May 2013 Question. 3May 2013 Question. 3

May 2013 Question. 3

(a) Compare and contrast the use of CPM & PERT in project management.(6)

• CPM: Duration of activities may be estimated with a fair degree of accuracy.
  PERT: Estimate of time for activities are not accurate.
• CPM: Used extensively in construction project.
  PERT: Used Mostly in construction projects.
• CPM: Can control both time and cost then planning.
  PERT: Is basically a tool for planning.

(b) Sarah Connor is in charge of planning and co-ordinating next year’s management training program for her company.  She has listed the following activity information for this project. 

A - 8 B A 8 C A 12 D A 6 E B 2 F E,C 8 G E,C 3 H F 2 I F 6 J D,G,H 6 K I,J 2

(i)  Draw the project network using AOA method. [4 marks]

(ii)  Determine the earliest times (ES & EF) latest times (LS & LF) for each activity. [8 marks]
(iii)  What is the slack time for each individual activity? [2 marks]

              

(iv)  Determine the critical path for this project. [1 mark]
        ACFHJK

(v)   Determine the expected completion time for the total project.  [1 mark]
        38 Weeks

May 2012 Question. 4May 2012 Question. 4May 2012 Question. 4May 2012 Question. 4May 2012 Question. 4

May 2012 Question. 4

(a) State the difference between CPM (Critical Path Method) and PERT (Program Evaluation Review Technique) for the purpose of project analysis.

CPM: Duration of activities may be estimated with a fair degree of accuracy.
    PERT: Estimate of time for activities are not accurate.

CPM: Used extensively in construction project.
    PERT: Used Mostly in construction projects.

CPM: Can control both time and cost then planning.
    PERT: Is basically a tool for planning.

(b) The following table represents a plan for a project : 

A - 2 3 4 B A 1 2 3 C A 4 5 12 D A 3 4 11 E B 1 3 5 F C 1 2 3 G D 1 8 9 H E, F 2 4 6 I H 2 4 12 J G 3 4 5 K I, J 5 7 8 

(i) Construct the project network diagram using AOA method. [5 marks]  

(ii)   Determine the earliest times (ES and EF), latest times (LS and LF) and slack time for each individual activity.[10 marks]  

(iii)   Determine the critical path for this project. [2 marks]  

         ADGJK

(iv)  What is the expected completion time for the project? [1 mark] 

         27 days.

Nov 2011 Question. 2Nov 2011 Question. 2Nov 2011 Question. 2Nov 2011 Question. 2Nov 2011 Question. 2

Nov 2011 Question. 2

Sarah Mahan is in charge of planning and co-ordinating next year’s management training program for her company.  Sarah has listed the following activity information for this project. 

(i)  Draw the project network using AOA method.[8 marks] 

(ii) Determine the earliest times (ES & EF) latest times (LS & LF) for the project. [10 marks]  

(iii)  What is the slack time for each individual activity? [4 marks] 

ii&iii

(iv) Determine the critical path for this project. [3 marks]  

      ABGHI

(v) Determine the expected completion time for the total project. [2 marks]   

      20 Weeks