CST Scheduling Fundamentals & Techniques 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In resource-constrained scheduling, which heuristic assigns resources to activities in order of their scheduled start dates?
- Minimum slack rule
- Minimum duration rule
- Earliest start time rule (Correct answer)
- Critical path method
Correct answer: Earliest start time rule
The earliest start time rule prioritizes resource allocation to activities with the earliest scheduled start, ensuring time-ordered assignment.
Question 2: What is the primary difference between resource leveling and resource smoothing?
- Leveling may extend project duration; smoothing does not extend it beyond the critical path (Correct answer)
- Smoothing may extend project duration; leveling does not
- Leveling applies only to labor; smoothing applies to equipment
- They are interchangeable terms in scheduling
Correct answer: Leveling may extend project duration; smoothing does not extend it beyond the critical path
Resource leveling resolves over-allocations and may delay the project end date, whereas resource smoothing only uses available float and never extends the schedule.
Question 3: Which scheduling output document identifies the planned dates for performing activities and the planned dates for meeting schedule milestones?
- Work Breakdown Structure
- Schedule baseline (Correct answer)
- Resource histogram
- Risk register
Correct answer: Schedule baseline
The schedule baseline is the approved version of the project schedule against which actual performance is measured and controlled.
Question 4: When using three-point estimating for PERT, an activity has an optimistic estimate of 4 days, most likely of 7 days, and pessimistic of 16 days. What is the PERT expected duration?
- 7 days
- 8 days (Correct answer)
- 9 days
- 10 days
Correct answer: 8 days
PERT expected duration = (O + 4M + P) / 6 = (4 + 28 + 16) / 6 = 48 / 6 = 8 days.
Question 5: Which document formally authorizes a project and provides the project manager with authority to apply organizational resources?
- Project management plan
- Project charter (Correct answer)
- Scope statement
- Work authorization system
Correct answer: Project charter
The project charter officially authorizes the project and grants the project manager authority to use resources for project activities.
Question 6: In scheduling, the term 'hammock activity' refers to:
- An activity with no predecessors or successors
- A summary activity that spans between two specified points in the schedule (Correct answer)
- An activity with the most float
- An activity on the critical path
Correct answer: A summary activity that spans between two specified points in the schedule
A hammock activity is a special summary task whose duration is determined by the start and finish of other activities it spans, often used for overhead tracking.
Question 7: Which scheduling technique establishes buffers at the end of project chains to protect the project completion date rather than padding individual activities?
- Critical Path Method (CPM)
- Critical Chain Method (CCM) (Correct answer)
- Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
- Earned Value Management (EVM)
Correct answer: Critical Chain Method (CCM)
Critical Chain Method removes individual activity padding and places project and feeding buffers at strategic points to protect the overall schedule.
CST Scheduling Fundamentals & Techniques 3
In resource-constrained scheduling, which heuristic assigns resources to activities in order of their scheduled start dates?