CC2005 Tasks Gantt Chart Risk

7/29/2019 CC2005 Tasks Gantt Chart Risk

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Project Planning and Management Past Examination Questions

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Gantt Chart and Risk Questions

Question 1. (January 2002: Risk)(a) How can risk be managed within a project? Use a diagram to illustrate

your answer.(15 Marks)

(b) A new MS Access/Visual Basic system for a chemical developmentcompany will take 1 week for requirements capture, 7 weeks fordevelopment and 3 weeks for acceptance testing. There is an 80%chance that this is insufficient because the MS Access specialist maybe required to support a different project of higher priority. If this wereto happen the 7 weeks development would extend to 10 weeks, at acost of 6 person-weeks.

(i) Draw a diagram to demonstrate the impact of the risk, and

calculate how the project plan would need to be modified interms of additional effort and duration.

(8 Marks)

(ii) A two-week training course on Advanced MS Access could bebooked and would reduce the risk to 50% at a cost of 4 person-weeks. The training could take place in parallel with therequirements capture. Draw a diagram to show the containmentaction and the recalculate the revised impact on effort andduration.

(8 Marks)

(iii) Should the training course be booked? Justify your answer.

(2 Marks)


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Question 2. (May 2002: Risk)

(a) Explain with the aid of a diagram one possible way of managing riskswithin a project.

(15 Marks)

(b) A new Java and Oracle based system for a bank will take 2 weeks forrequirements capture, 8 weeks for development and 2 weeks for acceptancetesting. There is a 75% chance that this will be insufficient because theOracle developer may be required to support a different project of higherpriority. If this were to happen the 8 weeks of development time would extendto 12 weeks, at a cost of 8 person-weeks.

(i)Draw a diagram to demonstrate the impact of the risk, and calculatehow the project plan would need to be modified in terms of additionaleffort and duration.

(8 Marks)

(ii) The Java developer could attend a two-week Oracle trainingcourse before requirements capture. This would reduce the risk to25% at a cost of 2 person-weeks. Draw a diagram to show thecontainment action and recalculate the revised impact on effort andduration.

(8 Marks)

(iii) Should the training course be booked? Please explain youranswer.

(2 Marks)


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Question 3. (May 2002: Gantt charts)Consider the following activities, scheduled as a project that starts on Friday24 May 2002. Note that Saturday and Sunday are not working days, and thatMonday 3 June and Tuesday 4 June are Bank Holidays (and are thereforenot working days).

Activity Start day Duration(days)

A 0 3

B 3 5

C 1 5

D 6 5

E 9 7

F 16 2

There are dependencies between certain activities, as given below: Activity B cannot start until Activity A has finished

Activity D cannot start until Activity C has finished

For technical reasons, there must be 3 consecutive working days

between the end ofActivity C and the start ofActivity E (e.g. if the lastday Activity C runs is a Monday, Activity E could not start until Friday,but if the last day Activity C runs is a Friday, Activity E could not startbefore the following Thursday)

Activity F cannot start until Activity E has finished

(a) Draw a Gantt chart showing each activity for this project. How many

working days does the project take, and when does the projectfinish?

(11 marks)

(b) If additional resources are made available so that Activity C starts 1working day earlier and its duration is reduced from 5 days to 4,what effect does this have on the project? Draw a Gantt chart toillustrate your answer.

(10 marks)

(c) If Activity C is delayed by 1 working day, based on the original startplan, what effect does this have on the project? Use a Gantt chartto illustrate your answer.

(12 marks)


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Question 2. (January 2003: Risk)

(a) A new MS Access/Visual Basic development for a financial servicescompany will require 2 weeks for the Feasibility Study, 3 weeks for analysis,10 weeks for prototyping and 2 weeks for implementation. There is a 70%chance that this is insufficient because the MS Access specialist may be

required to support a different project of higher priority. If this were to happenthe 10 weeks prototyping would extend to 13 weeks with an additional 5person-weeks.

(i) Draw a diagram to demonstrate the impact of the risk, andcalculate how the project plan would need to be modified interms of additional effort and duration.

(8 Marks)

(ii) A 4 week training course could be booked and would reduce therisk to 30% requiring an additional 4 person-weeks. The trainingcould take place in parallel with the Feasibility Study. Draw adiagram to show the containment action and the recalculate therevised impact on effort and duration.

(8 Marks)

(iii) Should the training course be booked? Please explain youranswer.

(5 Marks)

(b) This question refers to figure 1 and figure 2, shown on the followingpage.

(i) Compare and contrast figure 1 and figure 2. (5 Marks)(ii) Briefly explain the difference between containment and

contingency as depicted in figure 1(3 Marks)

(iii) Briefly explain what is meant by the terms risk assessment andrisk monitoring in figure 2

(4 Marks)

Containment

Project Plan

Control

Contingency

Trigger

Identify

Allocate

AssessNot Significant

Project MemberUpwards

Start Risk assessment

Risk prioritisation

Risk reduction

Risk management planning

Risk resolution

Risk monitoringEnd

Figure 1 Figure 2


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Question 3. (January 2003: Gantt charts)Consider the following project activities, starting on Monday 7 April 2003.Note that Saturday and Sunday are not working days, and that Friday 18 Apriland Monday 21 April 2003 are Bank Holidays (and are therefore not workingdays). There are further Bank Holidays on Monday 5 May and Monday 26

May 2003.Activity Start day Duration (working

days)

A 0 5

B 2 6

C 5 5

D 0 7

E 13 3

F 16 3

There are dependencies between certain activities, as given below:

Each activity must start as soon as possible after any preceding activities,given the following constraints

Activity C cannot start until Activity A has finished Activity A and Activity D must start at the same time

For technical reasons, there must be 3 consecutive working days betweenthe end of Activity C and the start of Activity E (e.g. if the last dayActivity C runs is a Monday, Activity E could not start until Friday, leavingTuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as the 3 consecutive working days,but if the last day Activity C runs is a Friday, Activity E could not startbefore the following Thursday, leaving Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdayas the 3 consecutive working days)

Activity F cannot start until Activity E has finished

(a) Draw a Gantt chart showing each activity for this project. How manyworking days does the project take, and when does the project end(i.e. what is the first working day after all activities are finished)?

(11 marks)

(b) If additional resources are made available so that Activity B starts 1working day earlier and its duration is reduced from 6 days to 4, whateffect does this have on the project? How many working days doesthe project now take, and when does the project end (i.e. what is thefirst working day after all activities are finished)? This change to the

project will cost an additional 500; justify your reasons as to whetheryou would recommend this proposed change. Draw a full Gantt chartto illustrate your answer.

(11 marks)

(c) Based on the original plan outlined in (a) above, ifActivity A overrunsby 2 working days, what effect does this have on the project? Draw afull Gantt chart to illustrate your answer. How many working days doesthe project now take, and when does the project end (i.e. what is thefirst working day after all activities are finished)?

(11 marks)


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(a) Describe the four stages of the risk management process.(15 Marks)

(b) A new Java/Oracle system for a sales company will take 3 weeks for

requirements capture, 10 weeks for development and 5 weeks for acceptancetesting. There is an 85% chance that this is insufficient because Oracle isunknown to the developers. This would result in a delay of 5 weeks indevelopment, at a cost of 12 person-weeks.

(i) Draw a diagram to demonstrate the impact of the risk, and calculatehow the project plan would need to be modified in terms of additionaleffort and duration.

(8 Marks)(ii) Formal training before requirements capture would reduce this riskto 25% at a cost of 5 person-weeks. The course lasts 1 week. Draw adiagram to show the containment action and then recalculate therevised impact on effort and duration.

(8 Marks)(iv) Should the training course be booked? Please explain your

answer.

(2 Marks)Question 1. (January 2004: Risk)(a) Describe two different models of risk management. You should illustrate

your answer with diagrams. (Diagrams alone are not sufficient). Whatare the key features common to both the models you have chosen?

(15 Marks)

(b) A new Visual Basic/MS Access system for a sales company will take 5weeks for requirements capture, 8 weeks for development and 4 weeks foracceptance testing. There is a 75% chance that this will be insufficientbecause the developers are not experienced in Visual Basic. This wouldresult in a delay of 3 weeks, with an additional 12 person-weeks involved indevelopment.

(i) Draw a diagram to demonstrate the impact of the risk, andcalculate the additional effort and duration that would need to beaccommodated in the project plan.

(8 Marks)

(ii) A 1-week training course in parallel with requirements capturewould reduce this risk to 20%, but it would involve 5 person-weeks. Draw a diagram to show the containment action andthen calculate the revised impact on effort and duration.

(8 Marks)

(iii) Based on your calculations above, should the training course bebooked? Please explain your answer.

(2 Marks)


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Question 4. (January 2004: Gantt charts)Consider the following activities, which are part of a project scheduled to starton Tuesday 30 March 2004. Note that Saturday and Sunday are not workingdays, and that Friday 9 April, Monday 12 April and Monday 3 May 2004 areBank Holidays (and therefore not working days). Only working days are

numbered; you should number these on your Gantt charts.Activity Start Day Duration (in working days)

A 0 3

B 1 3

C 4 4

D 12 3

E 15 6

F 22 3

You should note that all activities must start as soon as possible; you shouldalso take into account the dependencies between certain activities describedbelow:

Activity B must start one day after Activity A has started;

Activity C cannot start until both Activity A and Activity B have finished;

Activity C must run on 4 consecutive working days (not split over aweekend);

There must be a gap of two working days (which can be split over aweekend) between the end of Activity C and the start of Activity D;

Activity D must run on 3 consecutive working days (not split over aweekend);

Activity D must have finished before Activity E can start;

Activity E must have finished before Activity F can start;

Activity F must run on 3 consecutive working days (not split over a

weekend).

(a) Draw one Gantt chart showing each activity for this project.(9 marks)

(i) How many working days does the project take, and when doesthe project finish (i.e. what is the first working day when allactivities have been completed)?

(2 marks)

(b) What happens if Activity B overruns by one day? Draw a completeGantt chart to illustrate your answer.

(6 marks)(i) How many working days does the project now take, and when

does the project finish? Comment on your results.

(5 marks)(c) The reallocation of a team member to Activity C, based on the original

plan, means that this activity now takes 3 working days rather than 4,but Activity E now takes 7 working days rather than 6 as a result.What is the effect of this on the project as a whole? Draw a completeGantt chart to illustrate your answer.

(6 marks)(i) How many working days does the project now take, and when

does the project finish? Comment on your results.(5 marks)


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(a) In the context of risk analysis and management, what is meant by each ofthe following the terms?

i. risk (6 marks)

ii. contingency plan (3 marks)

iii. containment action (3 marks)iv. tracker (3 marks)

(b) A new web-based holiday reservation system for a travel agency will take3.5 weeks for requirements capture, 10 weeks for development and 5 weeksfor acceptance testing. There is a 65% chance that the time allowed fordevelopment will not be sufficient because the developers are notexperienced in Java. This would result in a delay of 4 weeks, with anadditional 9 person-weeks involved in development.

i. Draw a diagram to demonstrate the impact of the risk, and calculatethe additional effort and duration that would need to beaccommodated in the project plan.

(8 Marks)

ii. A 2-week training course before requirements capture wouldreduce this risk to 10%, but it would involve an additional 3 person-weeks. Draw a diagram to illustrate the inclusion of the trainingcourse, and then calculate the revised impact on effort and duration.

(8 Marks)

iii. Based on your calculations above, should the training course bebooked? Please explain your answer.(2 Marks)


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Question 4. (May 2004: Gantt charts)Consider the following activities, which are part of a project scheduled to starton Monday 26 April 2004. Note that Saturday and Sunday are not workingdays, and that both Monday 3 May and Monday 31 May 2004 are BankHolidays (and therefore not working days). Only working days should be

numbered; you should insert the number for each working day on your Ganttcharts in the space provided.

Activity Start Day Duration (in

working days)

Staff required each

working day

A 0 5 4

B 2 4 2

C 6 6 6

D 14 8 8

E 14 5 3

F 19 4 7

G 22 3 5

You should note that all activities must start as soon as possible; you should

also take into account the dependencies between the activities describedbelow:

Activity B must start two days after Activity A has started;

Activity C cannot start until both Activity A and Activity B have finished;

There must be a gap of two working days (which can be split by aweekend) between the end of Activity C and the start of Activity D;

Activity D and Activity E must start on the same working day;

Activity E must run on consecutive working days (not split by a weekend);

Activity E must have finished before Activity F can start;

Activity F must run on 4 consecutive working days (not split by a

weekend). Activity G must start on 27 May 2004.

(a) Draw a Gantt chart that shows each activity for this project. You mayuse the blank charts provided.

(7 marks)

i. How many working days does the project take, and when does theproject finish (i.e. what is the first working day after all activities havebeen completed)?

(2 marks)

ii. Show how many staff are required on each working day of theproject.

(3 marks)

iii. Identify the working day(s) where most staffare used. How manystaff are involved on these days?

(2 marks)

iv. Identify the working day(s) where fewest staff are used. How

many staff are involved on these days? (2 marks)


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(b) What happens if Activity A overruns by two days? Draw a completeGantt chart to illustrate your answer. You may use the blank chartsprovided.

(7 marks)i. How many working days does the project now take, and when does

the project finish? Comment on your results.(3 marks)

ii. Show how many staff are now required on each working day of theproject.

(3 marks)iii. Identify the working day(s) where most staffare used. How many

staff are involved on these days?(2 marks)

iv. Identify the working day(s) where fewest staff are used. Howmany staff are involved on these days?

(2 marks)

[Blank Gantt chart grids are attached in the examination].

Formulae

Additional Effort = Risk % * Delayed Effort

Additional Duration = Risk % * Delayed Duration

Expected Time = [Pessimistic Time + (4 * Most Likely Time) + Optimistic

Time]/ 6

CC2005 Tasks Gantt Chart Risk

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