Topic 4: Project Planning

Question 1

Planning answers? (6)

Answer 1

1. What
2. Who
3. How
4. When
5. How much
6. How good

Question 2

Key Planning Documents (3)

Answer 2

1. Project Charter
2. Scope Statement
3. Statement of Work

Question 3

What does a scope statement include? (4)

Answer 3

1. Justification
2. Product description
3. Deliverables
4. Objectives

Question 4

Define statement of work

Answer 4

A narrative description of all work to be done

Question 5

Define work breakdown structure (wbs)

Answer 5

A deliverable oriented hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work

Question 6

Critical rule of WBS

Answer 6

A represents 100% of the project scope. Work not in the WBS is out of scope

Question 7

Components of a WBS (3)

Answer 7

Level one: the project

Level two: major deliverables broken down into smaller components

Level three: work package (manageable, assignable, estimatable tasks)

Question 8

Purpose/importance of a WBS (4)

Answer 8

1. Ensures no work is forgotten
2. Provide a framework for assigning responsibility
3. Forms the basis of cost and schedule estimation
4. Allows for tracking progress

Question 9

Techniques to build a WBS (4)

Answer 9

1. Analogy: use a WBS from a similar past Project
2. Top-down: start with final deliverable and decompose
3. Bottom-up: list all detailed tasks first then group them
4. Thread: focus on one major deliverable or objective at a time

Question 12

Responsibility assignment matrix: RACI Codes

Answer 12

R-esponsible (does the work)
A-ccountable (has final authority)
C-onsulted (two way communication)
I-nformed (one way communication)

Question 13

Define communication plan

Answer 13

Specifies who needs what information, when, in what format and by whom

Question 14

Define activity

Answer 14

A component of work with a duration

Question 15

Define predecessor

Answer 15

An activity that must be fully or partially completed before another can start

Question 16

Define successor

Answer 16

An activity that comes after

Question 17

Define network diagram

Answer 17

A visual flowchart of activities and their dependencies like a map

Question 18

Define critical path

Answer 18

The longest sequence of dependent activities in the project. A determines the shortest possible project duration. No float or slack on the critical path

Question 19

Define float or slack

Answer 19

The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project finished date

Question 20

Define early start or early finish

Answer 20

The earliest an activity can start or finish

Question 21

Define late start or late finish

Answer 21

The latest unactivity can start or finish without delaying the project

Question 22

What are the two main diagramming method

Answer 22

1. Activity on node: activities are in boxes, arrow show dependencies
2. Activity on arrow: arrows are activities, notes are events

Question 23

Steps in the scheduling process (5)

Answer 23

1. Define activities from WBS
2. Sequence activities (identify dependencies)
3. Estimate activity durations
4. Develop the schedule
5. Schedule representation: Gantt chart

Question 24

Advantages of a gantt chart

Answer 24

1. Easy to read
2. Good for communication

Question 25

Disadvantages of a gantt chart

Answer 25

1. Doesn't show dependencies or critical path clearly