Time Mgmt question

Submitted by cplusplus on Tue, 04/27/2010 - 20:52

82.All the following statements regarding the creation of duration estimates are correct EXCEPT:


   
  Choice 1  Mathematical analyses like CPM, GERT, and PERT indicate the dates on which the activity can be scheduled, given resource limits and other constraints. 
 
  Choice 2  Duration compression techniques, including fast tracking and crashing, can help in decreasing the project schedule 
 
  Choice 3  WBS classification allows for useful activity ordering and sorting. 
 
  Choice 4  The duration of the project is the sum of the duration of all the tasks in the project. 


Please also briefly explain.


 


Thank you all.


 

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ChandraR

Tue, 04/27/2010 - 22:02

When you do multiple tasks/activities in parallel, the total duration is not equal to the sum of individual durations


Chandra

ambahnaresh

Wed, 04/28/2010 - 01:03

First 3 are tool of Estimate Activity Duration so i would go with # 4.

samy001us

Wed, 05/05/2010 - 09:25

Please note that we have to find one incorrect option in this qs


however i feel


#2 is wrong , as fast tracking does not help in reducing project schedule, only crashing does.


#3 is wrong, as WBS does not help in ordering


#4 is wrong as tasks can be executed in parallel.


please suggest if any other input

The PMP Guru's picture

The PMP Guru

Wed, 05/05/2010 - 09:57

Hi,

Before Answering and Explaining the Answer for this Question.

Are you All Agree with me that this Question is Related to:

Project Time Management --------> Estimate Activity Duration Only and not any other Process of the Project Time Management.

mgurunath

Wed, 05/05/2010 - 10:33

PMP Guru, I agree with you. I dont see any traces of other Process in this question. 

The PMP Guru's picture

The PMP Guru

Wed, 05/05/2010 - 11:32

Thanks mgurunath,

Now Do you agree with me that whenever, you are given a Process in the PMP exam, You have to think the answer based on being existing in that Process and also base on What Processes has been done already. Not on the Processes or Tools that will come in Future and you are not there yet..

 

 

ChandraR

Wed, 05/05/2010 - 13:49

Sammy,


Out of the 4 choices given, 1st 3 are correct and only 4th choice is wrong.


#2: Suppose in your first draft schedule, you come up with 3 months for project completion but your customer gave you only 2.5 months.  Now you take a closer, deeper look to see some of the activities originally planned to go in series can be squeezed to go in parallel to save some time.  You also take a look and see if by allocating more resources, you can accelerate the project.  With these two implemented in your 2nd draft you bring the estimated duration to 2.5 months.  Did you not reduce the project schedule through this exercise?


 


#3:  WBS does help in ordering.  It is an INPUT to Define Activites whose output - activity list, milestone list, activity attributes serve as input to  Sequence of Activities


#4 is obviously wrong and you already agreed.


 


Chandra

The PMP Guru's picture

The PMP Guru

Wed, 05/05/2010 - 14:11

@Chandra

Choice 2 is about Fast Tracking and Crashing and you are not there, It's Develop Estimates Tools. How can you say it's correct. Can you please explain..

I was trying to make this Sequence and that's Why I was asking you guys to confirm step by step.

 

Kind regards,

The PMP Guru.

ChandraR

Wed, 05/05/2010 - 14:40

PMP Guru,


In my above posting I explained my interpretation for each choice.  Pl. see choice #2 explanation where I gave an example how duration compression techniques like fast tracking and crashing can help in reducing schedule duration.


 


Chandra

The PMP Guru's picture

The PMP Guru

Wed, 05/05/2010 - 15:21

But Fast Tracking and Compression are the Tools for Develop Schedule Process and you are in the Estimate Activity Duration Process.

 

Since you are in the Estimate Activity Duration Process So I will Choose:

Choice 2: as an answer to this Question as Fast Tracking and Crashing is yet to follow in the other Process of Project Time Management i.e Develop Schedule.

Since Choice 1,Choice 3,Choice 4 are the correct Options.

 

Kind regards,

The PMP Guru.

ChandraR

Wed, 05/05/2010 - 16:09

Who said we are in the estimate process?  Out of the 4 choices, we are asked to pick a wrong statement.  Please pay attention to the word EXCEPT


 


Regards,


 


Chandra

The PMP Guru's picture

The PMP Guru

Wed, 05/05/2010 - 18:05

The Question clearly States and that's why I choose option 2 to be the correct.

OK Let's remove the Except:

82.All the following statements regarding the creation of duration estimates are correct:

What Does this statement means....

Creation of Duration Estimates: Meaning what, You Create Your duration Estimate in Which Process???

Estimate Activity Duration....

So Choice 1: CPM, PERT has been done previously, WBS has been done previously, Duration of the project is the sum of the duration of all the tasks in the project.

Option 2: Fast Tracking and Crashing, It's the next Process that is yet to come....

Hope it's clear now. Or If some one thinks that the question does not suggest that we are in the Estimate Activity Duration Process, Then may be there could be some other option.

Guys, Why are you quite... Please help me and Chandra.

Kind regards,

The PMP Guru

ChandraR

Wed, 05/05/2010 - 18:34

How can you remove the key word ' EXCEPT'?  The question is asking which one of the 4 choices is NOT CORRECT?  Do not over analyze.  In any given network diagram ( which is an output of schedule development as a result of duration estimations) consisting of parallel activities, the sum of all activities is ALWAYS less than project duration as the parallel activities do not take additional time since they are done in parrallel and simultaneously with some some other activities.  Choice 4 is INCORRECT


 


Chandra

bpp9614

Tue, 10/26/2010 - 18:04

Chandra is correct.


PMP Guru, please analyse properly and get the basics clear. If you are not 100% sure of an answer, put a word saying i am not confident.

PMP King

Sat, 11/13/2010 - 10:48

I have read this question somewhere and correct answer is "4"


Refer PMBOK definations for duration. It is total number of work periods excluding not working days. Project duration includes all non working days and holydays. So project duration can not be the sum of task durations.


We should not worry too much about in which process group we are. Also we could not assume or derive anything out of the question. We can not assume that we are in one process group. All process are itritive and can be repeated based on project planning process.

arnoldcarrington

Thu, 03/24/2011 - 09:23

  Choice 1  Mathematical analyses like CPM, GERT, and PERT indicate the dates on which the activity can be scheduled, given resource limits and other constraints. I like this one so i would go with this . thanks for that extra ordianry kind of information!

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Awtas

Thu, 03/24/2011 - 15:13

Correct answer is #4

82.All the following statements regarding the creation of duration estimates are correct EXCEPT:


  Choice 4  The duration of the project is the sum of the duration of all the tasks in the project.

This statement is incorrect. Project duration is the sum of the duration of all the tasks that are on the critical path only, not all tasks.