1. You have been asked to fill-in for your boss this week. Your boss's assistant informs you that he had scheduled an engagement to teach a group of students at the local University about PERT/CPM approach to project scheduling and has asked that you do it instead. In an initial write-up for the presentation, discuss the key elements of PERT/CPM to include (but not limited to) assumptions, how it works, and expected outcomes.
2. Ajax is about to embark on a project involving the design, manufacture and introduction of a new microwave oven. The first three activities and the immediate predecessors are:
Activity Predecessor
A Prototype Design none
B Acquisition of Materials A
C Prototype Construction B
However, it has not yet been decided whether the prototype materials will be purchased from a vendor (taking two weeks) or produced in another Ajax division (four weeks). What are the implications of this regarding usage of any standard project scheduling technique?