chapter sx Time Management — Near-Critical Path’ In addivion tothe ertical path, aire nage HOUT HEA WIEN oncapt ofa neat-clical path, This path is close in duzation to the critical pat, Something could happen that shortens the eitical path or Tengthens the near-critial path to the point where the near critical path becomes critical. The closer in length the near-rticel and critical paths are, the more risk the project has. The project manager should focus both time and efort monitoring and eonteolling critical and near-eritical path acttis so the critical path activities do not delay the project completion Float (Slack)'’ You must be able to understand float and calculate it manually for the exam. TiGHe ake ahiree types of st to know for the exam. They are: Total float (slack? ‘Totilfloat isthe amount of tae an actly can be Welayed without delaying the projectend de or an intermediary milestone, Tis isthe Key typeof fat, but there are cnhers. Please noe that the terms “oat” and “slack” mean the same thing. You may see ether or son the exam + free loa (locke) Thisiethesmunt of time an actvty’ca be dlajelvathout day th eats SUT Cale of its successor(s). a » Project float (slack) Project float isthe amount of time a project canbe delayed without elaine the externally iiposéd project completion date rejeired by the cosomer ot mangement, or Previously cammitied toby the profect manage. Activities on the critical path almost always have vero float. Critical path activities that are delayed or have dictated dates can result in negative Moat. Float isan asset and is extremely useful for a project manager to understand. Most project managers know wliere they have float and use it to help manage a project. Do you? If not, study ths carefully, ay float may be a major problem for you! How is oat an asset? Once you know the critical path and any near-crtical paths, you can use float as a way to focus your management ofa project. It allows for better allocation of resources. For example, let’ say you have a resource who is not very experienced and you must make use of him. You can assign ‘him, assaming he has the skillset, to wark om the activity wth the most float. This gives you some level ‘of securitys even if his activity takes longer, the project will nt be delayed. Float also helps team members juggle multiple projects by telling them how much time flexibility they have for each activity they are working on, of course with their project manager's appraval for any delays from the plan, ‘oat is vamputed using cther the equation Git Laie Sia Ay Start oF the equation! Moat = Late ‘Finish Ea} Fins. Notice the formulas again. Either formule gets you the same answer. Want 10 remember them without any further study? just remember the following: “These is a start formula and a Gnish formula, and we always begin late” Notice thatthe formule BEES uses cther two starts or two finishes and each begins with late. Using the appropriate formula based on the situation provided will help you correctly answer many «questions on the exam, For example, you have alate start of 30, an early start of 18, and a late finish of 34. What is the fleat? Since you remember the trick above, you will know to subtract the two staris or the two finishes, Since you do not have two finishes, you would subtract 30 - 18 to get 12. There are many ways to calculate float. The method you should use to calculate float will depend on the way the question is presented, Sometimes the information is such that you can simply see the amount of flat, and sometimes you will have to be able to calculate it in order to answer the questions. The following will give yeu afew examples. © 2008 AC Pubcon,» 957 B45. AB « oermepecteom » am meprjetcon 197cueren sx Time Management — -is not too hard are good questions to test your knowledge sbout critica paths, Host, st + Cat there be more than one ertical path? Ys. ie ean hae tn, tree or many ciel ‘fits, Da you want there to be? ‘sor it increases risk, Cana How much float does the critical path have? Generally thecritical path should have 200 Host Can there be negative float? Yes: it shows you are behind. (Boos the network diagram Aianige When the endl date chanigeS™ "No, it wlth, WOLIE (Pitcairn opioid lat track ad crashing the schedule to thie! the new dats, Then, with approved changes, the project manager should change the network Fiogtain accor + (Wood you feave the Broject With a wegative Haat? Novo would womipress he sched inle qutinns om the exam that require vou to draw» metwwort diagram. you ‘muy be able to reuse the same network: diagram te answer more than one question. Law to s8e i 1s trac belone vars spend time redrawing the diggram. ‘(Gehedilie Compression” pace 156: sec ALSO RESOURCE LEVELING, PAGE: Satin pleas ne i i when dhe Customer rogilites a completion | alate that cannot be met, ie proieet manager needs to bring the project back in ine with t (GWEORERSGEEG As ive sald before, many pect managers think an unrealised Ue Duwsses fat, She Hs really de to ack of oud projet manageme tts the project manaver's Fault! ‘(ih method of schedule network analjsis}s done daritig project planning 10 see if the desired eomplctron date can be met and whiat can beichanged to make thal date. It is ale done during mtexrateal charge conirel to look at the schedule impacts af changes to time, Cost, ssupe risk, resource. sun} castomer saistaction. Th ie Weve. - Sa This technique invohes SEEMS NGERAERERERSATAD nat were orginally res (sce the allowing diagram), Fast tracking often results in rework, usally increases ful requires move attention bo communications aaa - _ E-m Be © POO NE neste, © ASZEAR 46s nce eae wa epee Co 205=== Time Management caren sv For example, using the following network diagram. what activity weld yutt last track te shortea th provect length? ‘cuvity 1 coud be fast tracked ly malin AROSE Ths Hime ET pAaTIG WI ATS Amy ‘other pair of activites on the critical path could be fast tracked. eli ERR alsa be fast, tacked by having part of actieity'C done concurrently with activity 1 Ss technique Hives ig UOT hile ade IE een a Ue ges Scedak th dt for the east incremental ost wif minting proc saope in oiner wore must change. what option will cane the lest itnpost on ese? seston, sass results in increawed costs, For example using the network diagram shown in the previous fast tracking discussion NOU (Gould be added to eitical path activity Casstumlnig that this Was logical based on te tre Us Se reece teem itera sy narra project. Another aption tu crash might be to buy a sofware application (adder! cost to the proiet to help the ten: work mone efficiently saving ime i einige SB TRE KS HATE Re or coe hae the leat negative input onthe projec. I uu ave negative proje! at the ete? completion dates after the desired date), i GOS GSE i SESSA {hot he met an to atk for mee time? Nos the fist.choice would be w analyze what coull hedone abv eniegativeical lf amiiesagMesbRMAHE Fr tbe esa, emer ha you nel idey al the posse options and. f ven a choke between crashing of trachng options slet he eae tr combination of choces withthe aot negative Impact othe projec Tan lp ye ena {ustlone that ver have to ight ene In the real world, many project managers use the network diagram to manage the day-te-day operations of the project and to make adjustments when changes occur. You should expect this tn he rellectsd « the exum by the number of questions on network diagrams, calculations, and "What de you do in this siteation?” type of questions, Lets make sure you are prepared to deal with unrealistic schedules on the exam. this sve isso important that you should expect 10 see over 10 questions about h on: the exam, Most project managers are not completely knowledgeable in this area, ané it shows on their scare sheets, To proven this, les ryan exercise, Exercise Dering projet planning the project duration s estimated tobe 38 ‘months, However. you have ben given a completion dtc of 0 mont, ng the following network dlagram. Hea options for shortening the schedule to 30 206 _______ormmrasistos weassrslestetetesmcmtinnescumeniectom