CFP Project Planning & Scheduling 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A fence project is delayed because posts arrived three days late from the supplier. Which planning strategy would BEST reduce the impact of material delivery delays on the overall schedule?
- Order materials well in advance and confirm delivery dates before scheduling installation (Correct answer)
- Add more crew members to the installation team
- Reduce the number of project milestones
- Schedule installation before permits are finalized
Correct answer: Order materials well in advance and confirm delivery dates before scheduling installation
Ordering materials early and confirming delivery windows ensures materials are on-site before installation is scheduled to begin, reducing delay risk.
Question 2: During project planning, a fence contractor identifies that the gate installation crew is needed on two different job sites on the same day. This conflict is resolved through:
- Resource leveling (Correct answer)
- Float analysis
- Scope reduction
- Critical path compression
Correct answer: Resource leveling
Resource leveling adjusts the schedule to resolve over-allocation of shared resources such as specialized crews across multiple projects.
Question 3: What information is MOST critical to gather during the site walk before creating a fence installation schedule?
- Existing site conditions, access points, and potential obstacles (Correct answer)
- The client's preferred fence color and style
- The number of competitors bidding on the project
- The client's payment schedule preferences
Correct answer: Existing site conditions, access points, and potential obstacles
Site conditions, access routes, and obstacles directly affect crew mobilization, equipment needs, and the realistic sequencing of tasks.
Question 4: A contractor uses the formula: (Optimistic + 4×Most Likely + Pessimistic) ÷ 6 to estimate task durations. This technique is part of which scheduling method?
- PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) (Correct answer)
- Gantt charting
- Critical path method
- Earned value analysis
Correct answer: PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique)
PERT uses a weighted three-point estimate formula to calculate an expected duration for tasks with inherent uncertainty.
Question 5: Which milestone should appear LAST in a typical residential fence project schedule?
- Material delivery
- Permit issuance
- Final inspection and client sign-off (Correct answer)
- Post installation
Correct answer: Final inspection and client sign-off
Final inspection and client sign-off is the project completion milestone and always appears last after all installation and cleanup tasks.
Question 6: A project manager notices that several fence installation tasks have large amounts of float time. This means those tasks:
- Can be delayed without affecting the project completion date (Correct answer)
- Are on the critical path and must finish on time
- Require additional crew to complete
- Have been incorrectly sequenced in the schedule
Correct answer: Can be delayed without affecting the project completion date
Float (or slack) time indicates the amount a task can be delayed without pushing back the overall project end date.
Question 7: When planning a fence project on sloped terrain, what scheduling adjustment is typically necessary compared to a flat-site project?
- Allow additional time for stepped or raked installation techniques and potential grading work (Correct answer)
- Reduce crew size since fewer posts are needed
- Schedule inspections first before any site work
- Order standard-length posts without modification
Correct answer: Allow additional time for stepped or raked installation techniques and potential grading work
Sloped terrain requires stepped or raked fence configurations and may need grading, both of which add time to the installation schedule.
CFP Project Planning & Scheduling 3
A fence project is delayed because posts arrived three days late from the supplier.
Which planning strategy would BEST reduce the impact of material delivery delays on the overall schedule?