Project Management

• An interrelated set of activities with definite

starting and ending points, which results in a
unique outcome for a specific allocation of
resources.
Steps in planning projects –
1. Define work breakdown structure (statement of all
work that has to be completed)
2. Diagram the network
3. Develop the schedule
4. Analyze cost-time trade-off
5. Assert risks

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 NETWORK ANALYSIS
• It is a technique for planning and controlling
large projects, such as construction work, R&D
projects, computerization of systems etc. Its
primary aim is to program and monitor the
progress of a project so that the project is
completed in the minimum time. In doing this, it
pinpoints the parts of the project which are
“crucial”.It can also be used in allocating
resources such as labour and equipment and
thus helps to make the total cost of a project
minimum.
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 CPM AND PERT
• Network analysis is operated in various
forms under different titles, which include:
Critical Path Analysis (CPA) or
Critical Path Method (CPM);
(Deterministic)
Project Evaluation and Review Technique
(PERT) (Probabilistic)

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 Drawing the network diagram
• Estimate the time needed to complete
each individual activity or task that
makes up a part of the project
• Sort out what activities must be done
one after another, and which can be
done at the same time, if required
• Represent these in a network
diagram
Oct 21, 2023 Copyright@Robson 4
 The Project Network - CPM/PERT
Activity-on-Arc (AOA) Network

■ A branch reflects an activity of a project.

■ A node represents the beginning and end of activities, referred to as
events.
■ Branches in the network indicate precedence relationships.
■ When an activity is completed at a node, it has been realized.

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The Project Network
House Building Project Data
Number Activity Predecessor Duration
1 Design house and obtain -- 3
financing months
2 Lay foundation 1 2
months
3 Order and receive materials 1 1 month
4 Build house 2,3 3
months
5 Select paint 2, 3 1 month
6 Select carper 5 1 month
7 Finish work 4, 6 1 month
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The Project Network
Concurrent Activities
■ Activities can occur at the same time (concurrently).
■ Network aids in planning and scheduling.
■ Time duration of activities shown on branches.

Figure: Concurrent activities for house-building project

The Project Network
Dummy Activities

■ A dummy activity shows a precedence relationship but

reflects no passage of time.
■ Two or more activities cannot share the same start and end
nodes.

Figure: A dummy activity

The Project Network
AON Network for House Building Project
Activity-on-Node (AON) Network
 A node represents an activity, with its label and time shown on
the node
 The branches show the precedence relationships

Oct 21, 2023 Figure: AON network

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AON Network for House Building Project using QM for Windows

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The Project Network
Paths Through a Network

Path Events
A 1247
B 12567
C 1347
D 13567

Table:
Paths through the Copyright@Robson
Oct 21, 2023
house-building network 11
The Project Network
The Critical Path

The critical path is the longest path through the network; the
minimum time the network can be completed. From
Figure :

Path A: 1  2  4  7 3 + 2 + 3 + 1 = 9 months

Path B: 1  2  5  6  7 3 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 1= 8 months

Path C: 1  3  4  7 3 + 1 + 3 + 1 = 8 months

Path D: 1  3  5  6  7 3 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 7 months
Oct 21, 2023 Copyright@Robson 12
The Project Network
Activity Start Times

Figure: Activity start time

The Project Network
Activity Scheduling in Activity-on-Node Configuration

Figure: Activity-on-node
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The Project Network
Activity Scheduling : Earliest Times
■ ES is the earliest time an activity can start:
ES  Maximum{EF immediate predecessors}

Figure: Earliest activity start and finish times

■ EF is the earliest start time plus the activity time: EF  ES  t
The Project Network
Activity Scheduling : Latest Times
■ LS is the latest time an activity can start without delaying
critical path time: LS  LF  t

Figure: Latest activity start and finish times

■ LF is the latest finish
time: LF  Minimum{LS following activities}
The Project Network
Activity Slack Time (1 of 2)
 Slack is the amount of time an activity can be delayed
without delaying the project: S = LS – ES = LF - EF
 Slack Time exists for those activities not on the critical path
for which the earliest and latest start times are not equal.

Activity LS ES LF EF Slack, S
*1 0 0 3 3 0
*2 3 3 5 5 0
3 4 3 5 4 1
*4 5 5 8 8 0
5 6 5 7 6 1
*Critical path
6 7 6 8 7 1
*7 8 8 9 9 0
Activity Slack Times for House Building Project using QM for Windows
The Project Network
Activity Slack Time (2 of 2)

Figure: Activity slack

 Example 2

Draw the AON network for this project.

What is the Critical Path and Project Duration?
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 Example 2 - Solution

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 Problem 2 - Critical Path and Project Duration

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 Problem 3 – Consider the following project
network.

Determine the critical path and the project duration.

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Problem 3 – Solution:
The critical path is A–C–F–H–J with a completion time
of 27 days.

Earliest Latest Earliest Latest Total On

Critical
Activity Duration Start Start Finish Finish Slack Path?
A 2 0 0 2 2 0 Yes
B 4 2 3 6 7 1 No
C 5 2 2 7 7 0 Yes
D 2 6 15 8 17 9 No
E 1 6 16 7 17 10 No
F 8 7 7 15 15 0 Yes
G 3 8 17 11 20 9 No
H 5 15 15 20 20 0 Yes
I 4 15 16 19 20 1 No
J 7 20 20 27 27 0 Yes
Oct 21, 2023 Copyright@Robson 24
Probabilistic Activity Times

■ Activity time estimates usually cannot be made

with certainty.
■ PERT used for probabilistic activity times.
■ In PERT, three time estimates are used: most
likely time (m), the optimistic time (a), and the
pessimistic time (b); using Beta Distribution.
■ These provide an estimate of the mean and
variance of a beta distribution:
2
variance:v  b
- a 

 
6 

 a  4m  b
mean (expected time): t
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 Probabilistic
Time Estimates

Beta Distribution
Probability

a m b Time
Optimistic Mean Pessimistic

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 Probabilistic Activity Times
Another Example
To demonstrate the use of probabilistic
activity times, we will employ a new
example. (We could use the house-building
network from the previous section; however,
a network that is a little larger and more
complex will provide more experience with
different types of projects.)

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 Probabilistic Activity Times - Another Example

The Southern Textile Company has decided to

install a new computerized order processing system
that will link the company with customers and
suppliers online. In the past, orders for the cloth the
company produces were processed manually,
which contributed to delays in delivering orders and
resulted in lost sales. The company wants to know
how long it will take to install the new system.
We will briefly describe the activities and the
network for the installation of the new order
processing system.

Oct 21, 2023 Copyright@Robson 28

 The Southern Textile Company - Activities
The network begins with three concurrent activities: The new
computer equipment is installed (activity 1); the computerized
order processing system is developed (activity 2); and people
are recruited to operate the system (activity 3). Once people
are hired, they are trained for the job (activity 6), and other
personnel in the company, such as marketing, accounting, and
production personnel, are introduced to the new system
(activity 7). Once the system is developed (activity 2), it is
tested manually to make sure that it is logical (activity 5).
Following activity 1, the new equipment is tested, and any
necessary modifications are made (activity 4), and the newly
trained personnel begin training on the computerized system
(activity 8). Also, node 9 begins the testing of the system on the
computer to check for errors (activity 9). The final activities
include a trial run and changeover to the system (activity 11)
and final debugging of the computer system (activity 10).
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 Precedence relations and Activity Times– Textile Company

Task a m b Preceding Tasks

Task 1 6 8 10

Task 2 3 6 9

Task 3 1 3 5

Task 4 2 4 12 Task 1

Task 5 2 3 4 Task 2

Task 6 3 4 5 Task 3

Task 7 2 2 2 Task 3

Task 8 3 7 11 Task 1 Task 5 Task 6

Task 9 2 4 6 Task 1 Task 5 Task 6

Task 10 1 4 7 Task 4

Task
Oct 21,11 1
2023 10 13 Task 7 Task 8
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Probabilistic Activity Times
The Southern Textile Company

Activity time estimates for figure

The Southern Textile Company Probabilistic Activity Times –
QM for Windows Output
Probabilistic Activity Times
The Southern Textile Company

Network for order processing system installation

The Southern Textile Company Network – QM for Windows Output
Probabilistic Activity Times
The Southern Textile Company

Earliest and latest activity times

Probabilistic Activity Times
Expected Project Time and Variance
■ Expected project time is the sum of the expected times of
the critical path activities.
■ Project variance is the sum of the critical path activities’
variances
■ The expected project time is assumed to be normally
distributed (based on central limit theorem).
■ In example, expected project time (tp) and variance (vp)
interpreted as the mean () and variance (2) of a normal
distribution:
 = 25 weeks
2 = 62/9
= 6.9 weeks2
Probability Analysis of a Project Network

■ Using the normal distribution, probabilities are

determined by computing the number of standard
deviations (Z) a value is from the mean.

■ The Z value is used to find the corresponding

probability.

Oct 21, 2023 Copyright@Robson 37

Probability Analysis of a Project Network
The Southern Textile Company

Normal
Oct 21, 2023 distribution of network duration
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Probability Analysis of a Project Network
The Southern Textile Company

Probability
Oct 21, 2023that the network will be completed in 30 weeks or less
Copyright@Robson 39
Probability Analysis of a Project Network
The Southern Textile Company
What is the probability that the new order
processing system will be ready by 30 weeks?
  25weeks
 2  6.9
  6.9  2.63
x Z value of 1.90 corresponds to
Z probability of .4713 in Table A.1,
 Appendix A. The probability of
30  25 completing project in 30 weeks or
Z  1.90 less:
2.63
(.5000 + .4713) = .9713.
Oct 21, 2023 Copyright@Robson 40
Probability Analysis of a Project Network
The Southern Textile Company

Probability
Oct 21, 2023 the network will be completed in 22 weeks or less
Copyright@Robson 41
Probability Analysis of a Project Network
The Southern Textile Company

■ A customer will trade elsewhere if the new ordering system

is not working within 22 weeks. What is the probability that
she will be retained?
Z = (22 - 25)/2.63 = -1.14

■ Z value of 1.14 (ignore negative) corresponds to probability

of .3729 in Z Table.
■ Probability that customer will be retained is .1271
(.5000-.3729)

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 CPM/PERT Analysis Output with
QM for Windows

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CPM/PERT Analysis with
QM for Windows

QM for Windows solution output for system installation

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 Solved Problem 2

What is the probability of

completing the project in 23
weeks?

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 Solved Problem 2

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 Solved Problem 2

Using the Normal Distribution, we find that the

Oct 21, 2023 probability of completing the project in 23 weeks
Copyright@Robson 47
or less is 0.9357.