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Schedule Compression Techniques

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Schedule compression techniques are strategies used to shorten the project schedule without reducing the project scope, ensuring that project deadlines are met. The two primary techniques are crashing and fast tracking. Crashing involves adding extra resources to critical path tasks to reduce their durations, which may increase project costs due to overtime or additional personnel. This method requires careful cost-benefit analysis to ensure that the additional expenses are justified by the schedule gains. Fast tracking involves rearranging the project schedule so that tasks that were originally planned to be sequential are performed in parallel or partially overlap. While this can significantly reduce the project duration, it introduces increased risk and potential rework due to the overlap of dependent tasks. Both techniques require careful consideration of the potential impacts on project cost, risk, and quality. Effective use of schedule compression techniques allows project managers to meet tight deadlines and respond to schedule delays, but they must manage the trade-offs to maintain project success.

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Question 1

A software development project is behind schedule due to unexpected technical issues. As a project manager, you have identified fast-tracking and crashing as possible schedule compression techniques. Which one should you choose?

Correct Answer: Evaluate project dependencies and risks, then decide

In project management, both fast-tracking and crashing are techniques used to compress the project schedule and recover lost time. The choice between these strategies should not be based solely on their definition, but a thorough evaluation of project dependencies and risks should be undertaken. Fast-tracking can increase risk and rework as activities are done in parallel that were originally planned in sequence. Crashing, on the other hand, often comes with increased cost as additional resources are added to activities to complete them more quickly. It also may not always be possible if additional resources aren't available or if there are other constraints. Merging both options can be an effective solution in some cases, but it is also important to evaluate the project conditions and risks before making that decision. Therefore, the best solution is to 'Evaluate project dependencies and risks, then decide'. The other options might work in some situations, but they do not take the overall picture of project risk and dependencies into account.

Question 2

Your software development project is grossly exceeding its duration. It is not possible to overlap phases. The project budget has enough room for taking another course of action. What should you do?

Correct Answer: Crashing the project

When a project is running over its scheduled time and adding more phases isn't possible, the recommended action would be 'Crashing the project'. In project management, crashing is the technique to use when the goal is to shorten the schedule duration for the least incremental cost. It does this by adding resources to the project. Since the situation mentions there is enough budget for another course of action, it makes this choice the best among the given answers. 'Expanding the project timeline' should only be a last resort when all efforts to bring project on schedule have failed. 'Fast-Tracking the project' requires overlapping phases, which has been already ruled out by the given constraints. 'Change the project scope' would be a risky measure because it typically involves reducing functionalities or quality, which may not be accepted by the stakeholders.

Question 3

In a software implementation project, the team has high expertise and the budget is fixed, making additional headcount impossible. Phase deliverables can be shifted for concurrent execution with an acceptable level of risk. What schedule compression method should be evaluated?

Correct Answer: Fast-tracking with a risk analysis

Since phase deliverables can be shifted for concurrent execution with an acceptable level of risk, and the budget is fixed, fast-tracking with a risk analysis is the appropriate schedule compression method to evaluate. The team's high expertise allows them to manage the risks associated with overlapping phases. Crashing is not feasible due to the fixed budget limiting additional resources or paid overtime. Resource leveling does not compress the schedule, and extending working hours without extra payment is not an acceptable or sustainable approach.

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