Question:
Conveyor Belt project; Schedule
| Description |
Resource |
Duration (days) |
Preceding Activity |
| Architectural decision |
Design |
25 |
- |
| Hardware specifications |
Development, design |
50 |
1 |
| Kernel specifications |
Design |
20 |
1 |
| Utilities specifications |
Development, design |
15 |
1 |
| Hardware design |
Design, development |
70 |
2 |
| Disk drivers |
Assembly, development |
100 |
3 |
| Memory management |
Development |
90 |
3 |
| operating system documentation |
Design, documentation |
25 |
3 |
| Routine utilities |
Development |
60 |
4 |
| Complex utilities |
Development |
80 |
4 |
| Utilties documentation |
Documentation, design |
20 |
4 |
| Hardware documentation |
Documentation, design |
30 |
5 |
| integration first phase |
Assembly, development |
50 |
6,7,8,9,10,11,12 |
| Prototypes |
Assembly, development |
80 |
13 |
| serial I/O drivers |
Development |
130 |
13 |
| System hard/software test |
Assembly |
25 |
14,15 |
| Order circuit boards |
Purchasing |
5 |
16 |
| Network interface |
Development |
90 |
16 |
| shell |
Development |
60 |
16 |
| Project documentation |
Documentation, development |
50 |
16 |
| Assemble preproduction models |
Assembly, development |
30 |
17F-S, lag 50 days |
| Integrated acceptance testing |
Assembly, development |
60 |
18,19,20,21 |
Include the following printouts:
- A Gantt chart.
- A network diagram highlighting the critical path.
- A schedule table reporting. ES, LS, EF, LF, and slack for each activity.
Hint: the project should be completed in 530 days.
Remember: Save your file for future exercises!
Part 2
Remember the old saying, "A project plan is not a schedule until resources are committed." This exercise illustrates this subtle, but very important, difference.
Part A
Using your files from Part 2 input resources and their costs if you have not already done so. All information is found in Tables A2.10 and A2.11.
Prepare a memo that addresses the following questions:
1. Which if any of the resources are overallocated?
2. Assume that the project is time constrained and try to resolve any overallocation problems by leveling within slack. What happens?
3. What is the impact of leveling within slack on the sensitivity of the network? Include a Gantt chart with the schedule table after leveling within slack.
4. Assume the project is resource constrained and resolve any overallocation problems by leveling outside of slack. What happens? What are the managerial implications?
5. What options are available at this point in time?
Include a Gantt chart with the schedule table after leveling outside of slack.
Note: No splitting of activities is allowed.
Note: No partial assignments (e.g., 50 percent). All resources must be assigned 100 percent.
Part B
When you show the resource-constrained network to top management, they are visibly shaken. After some explanation and negotiation they make the following compromise with you:
- The project must be completed no later than February 2, 2012 (530 days).
- You may assign two additional development teams.
- If this does not suffice, you may hire other development teams from the outside. Hire as few external teams as possible because they cost $50 more per hour than your inside development people.
Internal Development
Add as many development units (teams) as needed to stay within the 530 days. If you need more than two internal development units, then hire as few external teams as necessary. Select the cheapest possibility! Change as few activities as possible. It is recommended you keep work packages which require cooperation of several organizational units inside your company. You decide how best to do this.
Hint: Undo leveling prior to adding new resources.
Once you have obtained a schedule that meets the time and resource constraints, prepare a memo that addresses the following questions:
1. What changes did you make and why?
2. How long will the project take?
3. How did these changes affect the sensitivity of the network?
Include a Gantt chart with a schedule table presenting the new schedule.
Part 4
Based on the file created at the end of Part 3, prepare a memo that addresses the following questions:
1. How much will the project cost?
Follow the instructions given in the Overview and Video Tutorials to complete Part 2 of the Conveyor Belt Project in Appendix 2 of the text book:
. Open the Conveyor Belt Project file from the last module.
. Enter the predecessors using the steps given under Data Entry in the overview.
. Save a pdf of the data entry screen.
. Save a pdf of the project schedule table.
. Save a pdf of the network diagram.
. Save a pdf of the Gantt chart.
. Answer all the questions given in Part 2.