CST Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CST facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. When a project schedule shows a Scheduled Performance Index (SPI) of 0.85, this means the project is: → Behind schedule, accomplishing only 85 cents of work for every dollar planned
2. Which document formally authorizes a project and provides the project manager with authority to apply organizational resources? → Project charter
3. A resource histogram shows a technician allocated at 140% for two consecutive weeks. What does this represent? → Resource over-allocation requiring resolution
4. What does a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) help with? → Breaking down project tasks into smaller components
5. Which MS Project view best displays resource allocation across all tasks to identify overallocations? → Resource Usage view
6. What is the purpose of a 'resource calendar' in a resource-loaded schedule? → To define when each resource is available, including vacations and holidays
7. Why are cloud-based scheduling tools advantageous? → They provide real-time collaboration and accessibility
8. Which scheduling technique uses probabilistic time estimates (optimistic, most likely, pessimistic) to calculate expected activity durations? → PERT
9. The technique of shortening the project schedule by overlapping activities that would normally be performed sequentially is called: → Fast-tracking
10. A Finish-to-Start relationship with a lag of 3 days means: → Activity B cannot start until 3 days after Activity A finishes
11. A project manager needs to compress the schedule by overlapping activities that were originally planned sequentially. This technique is called: → Fast tracking
12. When applying fast-tracking, which type of dependency is most commonly modified? → Discretionary finish-to-start dependencies
13. In schedule risk analysis, what does a 'three-point estimate' consist of? → Optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic duration estimates for an activity
14. What is the relationship between the Authorized Work (AW) and the Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB) in a government EVM system? → AW equals PMB plus management reserve
15. Which quality assurance method is most commonly applied in cost-loaded schedule integration to verify that CST professional standards are being met? → Structured audits, peer reviews, and performance metrics aligned with industry benchmarks
16. What scheduling document is commonly required by public agency contracts to substantiate a contractor's request for a time extension? → A contemporaneous schedule delay analysis using the accepted project schedule
17. What is the primary ethical obligation of a CST professional when a conflict of interest arises during resource loading & leveling activities? → Disclose the conflict to all relevant parties and recuse from the decision if necessary
18. Which of the following is a fundamental principle of cost-loaded schedule integration as it applies to Certified Scheduling Technician? → Systematic evaluation and adherence to established industry standards
19. What is the Estimate at Completion (EAC) formula when the original estimate is no longer valid and future work is expected to proceed at the current CPI? → EAC = BAC / CPI
20. In schedule compression, 'what-if' scenario analysis is primarily used to: → Evaluate the impact of potential schedule changes before implementing them
21. Which lag type applied to a milestone predecessor relationship would delay a milestone by 2 weeks after its predecessor finishes? → Positive lag of 2 weeks on a Finish-to-Start link
22. When converting an Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM) network to a Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) network, dummy activities are: → Eliminated because PDM uses node-based logic to capture dependencies directly
23. Which AACE International Recommended Practice is specifically associated with forensic schedule analysis and delay claim methodologies? → RP 29R-03
24. A schedule network shows that Activity C can start as soon as Activity A is 50% complete. This is modeled as a: → Start-to-start relationship
25. When two activities compete for the same resource, a scheduler creates a logical dependency between them. This type of added dependency is called a: → Resource-driven dependency
26. When using the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT), which formula calculates the expected duration of an activity? → (O + 4M + P) / 6
27. Which of the following is a primary risk associated with fast-tracking? → Increased rework if errors in overlapped activities propagate downstream
28. The 'But For' analysis in schedule delay disputes attempts to answer: → What would the schedule look like but for the alleged delay event?
29. Which quality assurance method is most commonly applied in critical path & float analysis to verify that CST professional standards are being met? → Structured audits, peer reviews, and performance metrics aligned with industry benchmarks
30. The Earned Schedule (ES) method improves upon traditional EVM schedule metrics by: → Converting SV from dollars to days, providing a time-based schedule variance