GCC Project Planning & Scheduling 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which document formally authorizes a project and names the project manager with authority to assign resources?
- Project Management Plan
- Project Charter (Correct answer)
- Statement of Work
- Work Breakdown Structure
Correct answer: Project Charter
The Project Charter is the formal authorization document that establishes the project and grants the PM authority.
Question 2: A contractor needs to shorten project duration without adding resources. Which technique involves accepting increased risk to compress the schedule?
- Crashing
- Fast-tracking (Correct answer)
- Resource smoothing
- Scope reduction
Correct answer: Fast-tracking
Fast-tracking compresses the schedule by overlapping sequential activities, accepting the risk of potential rework.
Question 3: In construction scheduling, 'float' (or slack) is best defined as:
- Extra budget allocated for contingencies
- The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project finish (Correct answer)
- The overlap between two concurrent activities
- The difference between planned and actual start dates
Correct answer: The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project finish
Float is the scheduling flexibility available for non-critical activities before they impact the project end date.
Question 4: Which scheduling output identifies the sequence of activities that determines the longest path through the project network?
- Resource histogram
- Critical path (Correct answer)
- Milestone list
- Activity list
Correct answer: Critical path
The critical path is the longest duration path through the network and determines the minimum project duration.
Question 5: A look-ahead schedule in construction typically covers what time horizon?
- The entire project duration
- 1 to 6 weeks of upcoming work (Correct answer)
- The current fiscal year
- 30 to 90 days of material procurement
Correct answer: 1 to 6 weeks of upcoming work
Look-ahead (short-interval) schedules typically cover 1–6 weeks and are used for daily field coordination.
Question 6: Under the Last Planner System (LPS), 'Percent Plan Complete (PPC)' measures:
- The percentage of the total project budget spent
- The percentage of committed weekly tasks that were actually completed (Correct answer)
- The overall project completion percentage
- The ratio of completed change orders to total change orders
Correct answer: The percentage of committed weekly tasks that were actually completed
PPC measures weekly planning reliability by tracking the ratio of completed promises to total commitments made.
Question 7: Which scheduling constraint type prevents an activity from starting before a specific calendar date regardless of predecessor completion?
- Start No Earlier Than (SNET) (Correct answer)
- Finish No Later Than (FNLT)
- As Soon As Possible (ASAP)
- Mandatory Start (MS)
Correct answer: Start No Earlier Than (SNET)
SNET constrains an activity so it cannot begin before a specified date, even if predecessors finish early.
GCC Project Planning & Scheduling 3
Which document formally authorizes a project and names the project manager with authority to assign resources?