Social Network Analysis

Correct Answer: Degree centrality measures the number of direct connections a task has with other tasks

Degree centrality is the most appropriate metric for measuring how well-connected a task is to other tasks in a project network because: It specifically measures the number of tasks that are connected to a given task, providing a clear indication of that task's interconnectedness in the network. A higher degree centrality means the task has more connections and thus more dependencies or relationships with other tasks, making it more critical for project coordination. The other options are less suitable because: Network density is a network-wide measure that looks at the entire system of connections, rather than focusing on individual task connectivity. Closeness centrality focuses on the distance between tasks in terms of path length, which is more about position in the network than direct connectivity. Eigenvector centrality considers the importance of connected nodes but specifically focuses on critical path activities, which is too narrow for general task connectivity measurement.

Correct Answer: The task can quickly influence or be influenced by other tasks in the network

In Social Network Analysis (SNA), closeness centrality measures how quickly and efficiently a node (task) can interact with all other nodes in the network. A high closeness centrality indicates that the task has short paths to all other tasks, meaning it can quickly influence or be influenced by changes in other tasks. This is crucial for project scheduling as it helps identify tasks that can rapidly impact the entire project network. The other options are incorrect because: - Being a communication bridge between phases relates more to betweenness centrality, not closeness centrality - Having the highest number of dependencies relates to degree centrality, which measures direct connections, not the efficiency of reaching all nodes - Serving as a central hub for resource allocation is more related to organizational structure and resource management, not specifically to closeness centrality in network analysis

Correct Answer: The task serves as a critical bridge between different groups of activities in the network

In Social Network Analysis (SNA), betweenness centrality measures how often a node (task) acts as a bridge along the shortest path between two other nodes. The correct answer reflects this concept perfectly - it indicates a task that serves as a critical bridge between different groups of activities in the network. These bridge tasks are crucial because they connect otherwise separate clusters of activities and control the flow of information or work between these groups. The other options are incorrect because: - Having the most connections refers to 'degree centrality,' not betweenness centrality - Being a final milestone connecting to project completion describes a terminal node, not betweenness - Establishing a primary resource flow path describes more of a critical path concept rather than betweenness centrality Betweenness centrality helps identify tasks that might not have many direct connections but are vital in connecting different parts of the project network. These tasks often require special attention as their delay could affect communication and work flow between different project components.