PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Problem 13.1 Hard Rock Café’s Rockfest (I)

Sienna is the Event Manager of Hard Rock Café’s Rockfest and she is tasked to organize
the event and finish the preparation at the earliest possible time. She was able to determine the
sequence of activities and the time in days needed to finish each activity. The figures are
summarized in Table 13.9
When is she going to finish the project? What is the critical path?

Table 13.9 Activity Table

Time t
Activity Predecessor/s Description
(days

A 18 Process permit
B A 12 organized team
C B 24 Book performer
D A 20 Reserve venue
E B 10 Invite sponsors
F C 22 Advertise
G D,F 14 Sell Tickets
H E,G 16 Conduct & evaluate concert

Step 1. Draw the network diagram (Figure 13.1)

Figure 13.1 Project network

B E

A C F H

D G
Step 2. Develop the critical path table (Table 13.2)
1. Do the forward pass with the earliest start (Se) and the earliest finish (Fe) based on the
time (t):

Se = maximum Fe of predecessor/s or 0 if none

Fe = Se + t

Activity A: Se = 0 Fe = 0 + 18 = 18
Activity B: Se = maximum (18) = 18 Fe = 18+12 = 30
Activity C: Se = maximum (30) = 30 Fe = 30+24 = 54
Activity D: Se = maximum (18) = 18 Fe = 18+20 = 38
Activity E: Se = maximum (30) = 30 Fe = 30+10 = 40
Activity F: Se = maximum (54) = 54 Fe = 54+22 = 76
Activity G: Se = maximum (38,76) = 76 Fe = 76+14 = 90
Activity H: Se = maximum (40,90) = 90 Fe = 90+16 = 106

2. Do the backward pass with the latest start S1 and the latest finish F1 based on time (t);
F1 = minimum S1 of successor/s or maximum Fe if non
S1 = Fe - t

Activity H: F1 = 106 S1 = 106-16 = 90

Activity G: F1 = minimum (90) =90 S1 = 90-14 = 76
Activity F: F1 = minimum (76) =76 S1 = 76-22 = 54
Activity E: F1 = minimum (40) =40 S1 = 40-10 = 30
Activity D: F1 = minimum (38) =38 S1 = 38-20 = 18
Activity C: F1 = minimum (54) =54 S1 = 54-24 = 30
Activity B: F1 = minimum (30,30) =30 S1 = 30-12 = 18
Activity A: F1 = minimum (18,18) =18 S1 = 18-18 = 0
3. Compute the slack and determine the critical activities:
Slack = F1- Fe
= critical if 0, not critical if otherwise

Activity A: = 18-18=0 critical

Activity B: = 30-30=0 critical
Activity C: = 54-54=0 critical
Activity D: = 38-38=0 critical
 Activity E: = 40-40=0 critical
Activity F: = 76-76=0 critical
Activity G: = 90-90=0 critical
Activity H: = 106-106 critical

Table 13.2 Critical Path Table

Time
Earliest Earliest Latest Latest Critical
Activity Predecessor/s t slack
Start Finish Start Finish Path?
(days)
A 18 0 18 0 18 0 Yes
B A 12 18 30 18 30 0 Yes
C B 24 30 54 30 54 0 Yes
D A 20 18 38 18 38 0 Yes
E B 10 30 40 30 40 0 Yes
F C 22 54 76 54 76 0 Yes
G D,F 14 76 90 76 90 0 Yes
H E,G 16 90 106 90 106 0 Yes

Step 3. Draw the critical path (Figure 13.2)

Critical path = A + B + C + F + G + H
106 = 18+12+24+22+14+16
Figure 13.2 Critical Path
Thus, the earliest time
to finish the project
B
is 106 days days. E

A C F H

D G