CDT Project Planning & Scheduling 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique), the expected time formula uses optimistic (O), pessimistic (P), and most likely (M) estimates. The formula is:
- (O + M + P) / 3
- (O + 4M + P) / 6 (Correct answer)
- (O + 2M + P) / 4
- (O + M + P) / 4
Correct answer: (O + 4M + P) / 6
The PERT weighted average formula is (O + 4M + P) / 6, giving the most likely estimate four times the weight.
Question 2: A drafting project has a baseline schedule. After the client requests additional drawing revisions, the project manager issues a revised schedule. What document authorizes the scope change?
- A project status report
- A change order or change request (Correct answer)
- A risk register update
- A punch list
Correct answer: A change order or change request
A change order formally documents, authorizes, and tracks scope changes that affect the schedule, cost, or deliverables.
Question 3: Which scheduling format best shows the relationship between tasks and calendar dates while also indicating task duration as a bar?
- Network diagram
- Gantt chart (Correct answer)
- PERT chart
- Responsibility matrix
Correct answer: Gantt chart
Gantt charts display tasks as horizontal bars along a timeline, clearly showing start dates, durations, and end dates.
Question 4: A project schedule baseline serves primarily as:
- The initial rough estimate before client approval
- The approved schedule used to measure and report performance (Correct answer)
- A list of risks that could delay the project
- The minimum staffing requirement for the project
Correct answer: The approved schedule used to measure and report performance
The schedule baseline is the approved version of the project schedule used as the reference for tracking variance.
Question 5: When planning a drafting project, 'predecessor' tasks are those that:
- Follow the current task and depend on its completion
- Must be completed before the current task can begin (Correct answer)
- Can run concurrently with the current task
- Have higher priority than all other tasks
Correct answer: Must be completed before the current task can begin
A predecessor task must be completed (or reach a defined state) before the successor task can start.
Question 6: Schedule compression by adding more resources (such as drafters) to critical path tasks to shorten their duration is called:
- Fast-tracking
- Crashing (Correct answer)
- Resource leveling
- Scope crashing
Correct answer: Crashing
Crashing adds resources to critical path tasks to reduce duration, typically increasing cost but shortening the schedule.
Question 7: In a project schedule, a task on the critical path has total float of:
- Greater than zero
- Exactly zero (Correct answer)
- Negative one or less
- Equal to the project duration
Correct answer: Exactly zero
Tasks on the critical path have zero total float, meaning any delay to them directly delays the project end date.
CDT Project Planning & Scheduling 3
In PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique), the expected time formula uses optimistic (O), pessimistic (P), and most likely (M) estimates.
The formula is: