Late Start and Late Finish Dates

Correct Answer: The critical path task started earlier than necessary.

Since the actual start of the critical path task was on March 20th, earlier than the late start date of April 1st, it means that the task started earlier than necessary. Therefore, the correct answer is 'The critical path task started earlier than necessary.' The answer 'The project duration will be extended' is not correct because starting a task earlier doesn't necessarily mean that the project’s overall duration will be extended. The answer 'The task has delayed the project' is not correct because, on the contrary, the task has started earlier and this will only delay the project if it keeps resources from other, more immediate tasks, which is not stated The answer 'The task was planned poorly' might or might not be true. Simply starting the task early does not inherent poor planning. Therefore, it is not the most precise answer in this context.

Correct Answer: The project will face schedule risk and may overrun the deadline

Late start and late finish dates for tasks in project management context are essential to identify the flexibility in scheduling tasks without hampering the project's finish date. A late start indicates the last possible date to begin a task without delaying the project, while a late finish signifies the latest date to conclude the task without causing project delays. In this scenario, due to a last minute design change, a critical task was rescheduled to start after its late start date. This implies that the project might face schedule risk and may overrun the previously set deadline. The other answers are incorrect. Even though the task is delayed, it does not guarantee that the project will finish ahead of schedule. Also, the task may not necessarily finish within its late finish date because its start was already delayed. Finally, the late start and late finish dates are indeed related to this situation as they provide the time buffer for project scheduling, and violation of these dates may result in project delay.

Correct Answer: The task has float and started earlier than necessary.

The best answer is: 'The task has float and started earlier than necessary.'

This situation indicates that the task has float, which is the amount of time a task can be delayed without affecting the project's overall schedule. Here's why:

1. The late start date (October 1) is the latest date the task can begin without delaying the project.
2. The team started the task on September 25, which is earlier than the late start date.
3. This early start suggests that the task has float, allowing it to begin earlier than absolutely necessary.

The other answers are incorrect:

'The task is on the critical path and may finish ahead of schedule' is incorrect because tasks on the critical path typically have no float. If this task were on the critical path, its early start and late start dates would be the same.

'The project is experiencing delays and requires schedule compression' is not correct because starting a task earlier than its late start date doesn't indicate delays. In fact, it suggests the opposite - that there's flexibility in the schedule.

'The late start and late finish dates were incorrectly calculated in the software' is unlikely. While errors can occur, it's more reasonable to assume the dates are correct and interpret the situation based on the given information.

In project management, understanding float and task scheduling is crucial for effective time management and resource allocation.