CCM Time Management 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A construction manager notices that a major subcontractor's activities consistently appear on the critical path. What proactive step should be taken?
- Replace the subcontractor immediately
- Increase the frequency of schedule updates and coordination meetings with that subcontractor (Correct answer)
- Assign float from non-critical activities to their work
- Remove their activities from the schedule baseline
Correct answer: Increase the frequency of schedule updates and coordination meetings with that subcontractor
Heightened monitoring and coordination with subcontractors whose work drives the critical path is essential to preventing and quickly resolving delays.
Question 2: Which recovery schedule technique involves relocating resources from activities with float to critical path activities?
- Crashing
- Resource reallocation (resource leveling in reverse) (Correct answer)
- Fast-tracking
- Schedule compression via scope reduction
Correct answer: Resource reallocation (resource leveling in reverse)
Reallocating resources from non-critical activities (which have float to absorb delays) to critical path activities can accelerate the schedule without adding cost.
Question 3: Under concurrent delay analysis, when both the owner and contractor cause delays simultaneously, the typical legal outcome is:
- The contractor receives full compensation for all delays
- Neither party can recover damages from the other for the overlapping period (Correct answer)
- The owner's delay takes precedence and contractor is paid
- The contractor must prove which delay was the dominant cause
Correct answer: Neither party can recover damages from the other for the overlapping period
Under the concurrent delay doctrine, when both parties contribute to a delay simultaneously, neither can typically recover damages from the other for that period.
Question 4: A project's Schedule Variance (SV) is calculated as:
- Planned Value minus Actual Cost
- Earned Value minus Planned Value (Correct answer)
- Actual Cost minus Earned Value
- Budget at Completion minus Estimate at Completion
Correct answer: Earned Value minus Planned Value
Schedule Variance (SV = EV - PV) measures the difference between work accomplished and work planned; a negative SV indicates the project is behind schedule.
Question 5: Which of the following is NOT a valid method for schedule delay analysis recognized in construction dispute resolution?
- As-Planned vs. As-Built analysis
- Time Impact Analysis (TIA)
- Collapsed As-Built (But-For) analysis
- Pure speculation analysis (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Pure speculation analysis
Recognized delay analysis methodologies include As-Planned vs. As-Built, Time Impact Analysis, Collapsed As-Built, and Windows Analysis; speculation is not an accepted method.
Question 6: What is the purpose of a 'schedule narrative' submitted with a monthly schedule update?
- To replace the detailed CPM schedule
- To explain variances, delays, mitigation actions, and forecast for the coming period (Correct answer)
- To document subcontractor payments
- To list all approved change orders
Correct answer: To explain variances, delays, mitigation actions, and forecast for the coming period
The schedule narrative provides context for the numbers in the schedule update, explaining what caused variances and what is being done to address them.
Question 7: When a construction project has multiple calendars assigned to different activities, what issue must the scheduler be careful to avoid?
- Excessive float on non-critical activities
- Incorrect critical path calculation due to calendar conflicts in network logic (Correct answer)
- Over-allocation of resources across shifts
- Milestone dates shifting due to calendar changes
Correct answer: Incorrect critical path calculation due to calendar conflicts in network logic
When activities with different calendars are linked, the scheduling software may miscalculate the critical path if calendar interactions are not handled correctly.
CCM Time Management 5
A construction manager notices that a major subcontractor's activities consistently appear on the critical path.
What proactive step should be taken?