Naitik Chopra (22BBAN106)

Assignment 3
Project Management

Case Study Overview:

You are managing the construction of a small office building. The project involves several key
activities such as site preparation, foundation laying, structural framing, electrical wiring, and
finishing touches. You are tasked with developing a timeline using PERT and CPM to ensure
timely project completion.

Assignment Questions:
Q1.Understanding PERT & CPM: Based on the case study, explain the key differences
between PERT and CPM. Which technique would be more suitable for a project where time
estimates for activities are uncertain, and why?
Ans-
Understanding PERT & CPM:
PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique)
1. Developed for projects with uncertain activity durations.
2. Focuses on time estimation and risk management.
3. Uses three-time estimates (optimistic, most likely, pessimistic) to calculate expected
activity duration.
4. Emphasizes identifying critical path and slack time.
CPM (Critical Path Method)
1. Developed for projects with fixed activity durations.
2. Focuses on scheduling and resource allocation.
3. Uses single-time estimates for activities.
4. Emphasizes identifying critical path and dependencies.
Key Differences:
1. Time Estimation: PERT uses three-time estimates, while CPM uses single-time estimates.
2. Uncertainty: PERT handles uncertainty, while CPM assumes fixed durations.
3. Focus: PERT focuses on risk management, while CPM focuses on scheduling.
Suitability for Uncertain Time Estimates:
PERT is more suitable for projects with uncertain time estimates because:
1. Three-time estimates provide a range of possible durations, allowing for better risk
management.
2. Expected activity duration calculation accounts for uncertainty.
3. PERT's focus on risk management helps identify potential delays.
Why PERT is chosen over CPM for this project:
1. Construction projects often involve uncertain activity durations due to factors like weather,
material availability, and labor issues.
2. PERT's three-time estimates provide a more realistic representation of activity durations.
3. The project's critical path and slack time can be better identified using PERT.
Example of PERT Calculation:
| Activity | Optimistic | Most Likely | Pessimistic | Expected Duration |
| Site Preparation | 5 | 7 | 10 | 7.33 |
| Foundation Laying | 10 | 12 | 15 | 12.17 |
Expected Duration = (Optimistic + 4 × Most Likely + Pessimistic) / 6
Next Steps:
1. Develop a detailed project network diagram.
2. Calculate expected activity durations using PERT.
3. Identify critical path and slack time.
4. Create a project schedule and resource allocation plan.
Q2.Developing a Network Diagram:
Using the case study activities (site preparation, foundation laying, structural framing,
electrical wiring, finishing touches), create a basic network diagram to represent the project
schedule. Identify the dependencies between activities and explain why these dependencies
are important for scheduling.
Ans-
Here's a basic network diagram for the project:
Network Diagram:
Site Preparation (7) → Foundation Laying (12)
Foundation Laying (12) → Structural Framing (18)
Structural Framing (18) → Electrical Wiring (10)
Electrical Wiring (10) → Finishing Touches (15)
Dependencies:
1. Site Preparation → Foundation Laying (FS Dependency)
- Reason: Foundation laying requires a prepared site.
2. Foundation Laying → Structural Framing (FS Dependency)
- Reason: Structural framing requires a laid foundation.
3. Structural Framing → Electrical Wiring (FS Dependency)
- Reason: Electrical wiring requires a framed structure.
4. Electrical Wiring → Finishing Touches (FS Dependency)
- Reason: Finishing touches require completed electrical wiring.
Dependency Types:
1. FS (Finish-to-Start): An activity cannot start until the preceding activity is completed.
2. SS (Start-to-Start): An activity cannot start until the preceding activity starts.
3. FF (Finish-to-Finish): An activity cannot finish until the preceding activity finishes.
Importance of Dependencies:
1. Ensures logical sequence of activities.
2. Prevents scheduling conflicts.
3. Highlights critical path activities.
4. Facilitates resource allocation and leveling.
5. Enhances project visibility and control.
Critical Path:
Site Preparation Foundation Laying → Structural Framing → Electrical Wiring → Finishing
Touches
Project Duration:
62 days
By creating this network diagram, we've visualized the project schedule, identified
dependencies, and established a critical path.
Would you like me to elaborate on any of these points or provide additional information?
Q3.Critical Path Identification:
Using CPM, identify the critical path in the project from the case study. What is the
significance of the critical path, and how does it affect the total duration of the project?
Ans-
Using CPM, let's identify the critical path:
Activity Table
| Activity | Duration | Dependencies | Early Start | Early Finish | Late Start | Late Finish |
Slack |
| 1. Site Preparation | 7 | - | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 2. Foundation Laying | 12 | Site Prep | 7 | 19 | 7 | 19 | 0 |
| 3. Structural Framing | 18 | Foundation | 19 | 37 | 19 | 37 | 0 |
| 4. Electrical Wiring | 10 | Structural Framing | 37 | 47 | 37 | 47 | 0 |
| 5. Finishing Touches | 15 | Electrical Wiring | 47 | 62 | 47 | 62 | 0 |
Critical Path
Site Preparation → Foundation Laying → Structural Framing → Electrical Wiring →
Finishing Touches
Critical Path Duration
7 + 12 + 18 + 10 + 15 = 62 days
Significance of Critical Path
1. Determines the minimum project duration.
2. Identifies critical activities impacting project timeline.
3. Highlights dependencies between activities.
4. Guides resource allocation and scheduling.
5. Indicates areas for optimization and risk management.

Impact on Total Duration

1. Delays in critical path activities delay the entire project.
2. Increasing resources on critical path activities can reduce project duration.
3. Critical path activities have zero slack, making them sensitive to changes.
Consequences of Delaying Critical Path Activities
1. Project delay.
2. Resource reallocation.
3. Cost overrun.
Non-Critical Activities
None in this project, as all activities are on the critical path.
By identifying the critical path, we've determine the minimum project duration and
highlighted activities requiring close monitoring.
Would you like me to elaborate on any of these points or provide additional information?
Q4.PERT Time Estimates:
Assume that some of the activities in the case study have uncertain durations. For one
activity, calculate the expected time using PERT (given optimistic, most likely, and
pessimistic time estimates: 3 weeks, 5 weeks, and 8 weeks). How does this information help
in better project planning and risk management?
Ans-
Let's calculate the expected time for the "Structural Framing" activity using PERT:
Activity: Structural Framing
Optimistic (O): 3 weeks
Most Likely (M): 5 weeks
Pessimistic (P): 8 weeks
Expected Time (TE) calculation:
TE = (O + 4M + P) / 6
TE = (3 + 4*5 + 8) / 6
TE = (3 + 20 + 8) / 6
TE = 31 / 6
TE = 5.17 weeks
Standard Deviation (σ) calculation:
σ = (P - O) / 6
σ = (8 - 3) / 6
σ=5/6
σ = 0.83 weeks
Interpretation:
- The expected duration for Structural Framing is approximately 5.17 weeks.
- There's a 95% confidence level that the activity will be completed within 5.17 ± 2σ (i.e.,
3.51 to 6.83 weeks).
Better Project Planning and Risk Management:
1. Realistic expectations: PERT provides a more realistic estimate of activity duration.
2. Risk assessment: Identifying uncertain activities helps focus risk management efforts.
3. Buffer allocation: Adding buffers for uncertain activities reduces project risk.
4. Resource allocation: Expected durations inform resource allocation decisions.
5. Schedule flexibility: Understanding activity variability allows for flexible scheduling.
6. Contingency planning: Identifying potential delays enables proactive contingency
planning.
By using PERT, we've accounted for uncertainty in activity duration, enabling better project
planning and risk management.