Fast Track / Crashing

Submitted by bidyutshah on Sat, 05/03/2014 - 04:46
A Project Manager has been assigned to manage a project to develop a cheap priced laptop for a company that does not have this expertise. The project is three weeks behind schedule and under budget. After calculating the estimate at completion (EAC), the Project Manager finds that project will be $454,589 under budget, but is expected to take four weeks longer than expected. What should the Project Manager do?
 
A. Implement Gold Plating to make up for the difference
 
B. Crash the project
 
C. Fast track the project
 
D. Outsource the project
 
What is the correct ans?? According to me it should be B, but most of the sites say it as C not sure why it should be C.
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philstinnet

Sat, 05/03/2014 - 05:59

Choice A is wrong. There should not be any doubt in this. 

Choice B -  is a good choice. Crash the project. But, only helpful if crashing is done on the critical parth. The question does not say anything about critical path. When you crash the activities on a critical path, you may save some time. On the other hand, at the maximum crashing possible on critical path, you make the non-critical path activities critical.  

Choice C - Fast Tracking is another good choice. Once you have exhausted choice B and yet not able to meet the schedule baseline, Fast Tracking is the way to go. 

Now, Choice D is something where i think it is somewhat better fitting option. 

If the PM goes for crashing or fast tracking, it will just introduce more risk on two reasons - 

1) Fast tracking and Crashing introduce more risk by their inherent nature.

2) No one in the project team is an expert in this process of developing a cheap laptop. Therefore, FT or Crashing may lead to a lot of rework. Hence, may not help in producing the laptop on time. 

So, why not get some help from some expert ? Or in other words, why not outsource an expert to work on the remaining part of the project ? 

The negative point for outsourcing - It may take a lot of time to really build the contract with terms & conditon and Work for Hire clause etc etc. However, Time & Material contract can possibly solve this issue.

The project is to develop just 'one' laptop. 

 

 

sunku65

Sat, 05/03/2014 - 10:24

The company does't have a expert to develop a laptop and assigned the Project Manager.   How come, the project is running under budget and under schedle.  What kind of a Company and PM is that without expert to develop a laptop.

Three A,B and C choice are worhless to talk here.

Simply go for outsouce to get it from cheaper thru T&M contract.  Answer is D.

Jigga

Sat, 05/03/2014 - 17:46

Why are we applying Time & Material Contract here?

philstinnet

Sat, 05/03/2014 - 19:05

Two reasons - 

1) Time and Material contract takes a short period of time to come into realization compare to Fixed Price and Cost Reimbursable. And, we are behind schedule in the question statement. 

2) Time and Material contract is used when you want to hire an expert for a shorter period of time. The expert can be a plumber, a technician, or a labtop builder.

 

passion4pm

Sun, 05/04/2014 - 16:51

I thinks the client for whom laptop is being built lack the expertize, not the project manager's organization.

kumarks984

Fri, 05/09/2014 - 15:48

The best options for this question are:

1) Crashing

2) Fast Tracking

But you do fast tracking first since the company's project is under schedule & under budget since

Fast Tracking helps you effort parallelly speeding up the process without additional costs added whereas Crashing is to give extra hours assignment which will increase your cost...not a good option when your project is already under budget.

So Answer C is the First & Best Choice

huanglasker

Sat, 05/10/2014 - 22:47

The Correct answer is D, out source.

sunku65

Sun, 05/11/2014 - 08:49

Sundara.damaraj...

Sun, 05/11/2014 - 14:20

There is no term called "Outsource" in PMBOK V5.

The correct answer is "C"(Fasttrack).

A-> is ruled out

B--> Has to be done for the projectst on critical path.

C-> is correct because, fast track can compress the schedule,which is required.

(Reason:-it is expected to take 4 weeks longer than expected).

Why you cannot Outsource?

1) The very first sentence says "Project Manger has assigned".

2) The question is asked for "Develop Schedule"

3) This is not a risk, which can be "Transferred" to third party by paying premium.

 

 

 

sunku65

Sun, 05/11/2014 - 18:33

I reviewed my above reply dated 5/3/2014.

I think company running without Project Manager and recently assigned.  Does't have a "this expert" means The Project Manager.  Whereas, i missunderstood as an Expert Laptop Developer Engineer.

Now, it seems to that Fasttrack is the right answer.

A. Against PMBOK Policies.

B. Crashing is more expensive to the project cost.  Cost and schedule tradeoffs to cover 4 weeks schedule need to add additional resources to critical path activities.  but it may chance non-critical paths may become near critical paths.  Needs resource commitments.

C. Fastrack the critical path activities to cover 4 weeks doing critical path activities in parllal.   No additional costs.  May cause near critical path Risk and reworks.

D.  At this stage Outsource the project is not reasonable.

 

Nabs

Mon, 05/12/2014 - 08:05

i am confused why C is correct answer.. B looks more good choice.

B. Crashing involve cost. but since project is under budget (within the buget limit) so the PM can esily spend money, hire a consultant and add more resources to speed up the work.

C. Fast track.. activities done in parallel but since compnay doesn't have much expertise in developing a new laptop. it may add more risk.

sunku65

Mon, 05/12/2014 - 08:31

The question states this expertise means Project Manager not the Developing Expertise.

 

Sundara.damaraj...

Mon, 05/12/2014 - 15:00

Crashing will be done for the activities which are on critical path.

Hence B can be eliminated.