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Schedule Compression Techniques

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Schedule compression techniques are strategies employed to shorten the project schedule without changing the project scope, to meet tight deadlines or address delays. The two primary methods of schedule compression are **Crashing** and **Fast Tracking**. **Crashing** involves adding extra resources to critical path activities to accelerate their completion. This can include increasing workforce size, paying for expedited shipping of materials, or authorizing overtime work. Crashing aims to reduce the duration of critical tasks, thereby shortening the overall project timeline. However, it often results in increased project costs due to the additional resources required. Project managers must analyze the cost and schedule trade-offs to determine if the benefits of crashing outweigh the added expenses. **Fast Tracking** is the process of rearranging the project schedule to perform activities that were originally planned in sequence concurrently or partially overlapping. This technique is applied to activities on the critical path and can significantly reduce the project duration. For example, starting the installation of equipment before the design is fully completed. While fast tracking can shorten the schedule, it introduces additional risks, such as increased potential for rework, errors, or quality issues due to incomplete information. Both techniques require careful consideration and risk management. It's essential to evaluate the impact on project costs, quality, and stakeholder expectations. Effective communication and coordination among project teams are crucial to manage the changes and mitigate associated risks. Schedule compression should be documented thoroughly in the project management plan, including the rationale for the chosen approach and any changes to project baselines. In schedule network analysis, compression techniques are valuable tools for exploring alternative scheduling scenarios and responding to project challenges. They enable project managers to meet critical deadlines, comply with external constraints, or capitalize on opportunities that require accelerated project delivery. Proper application of schedule compression contributes to project success by balancing time, cost, and quality objectives.

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PMI-SP - Schedule Network Analysis Example Questions

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Question 1

In a project requiring schedule compression, what is the most critical consideration when evaluating the trade-off between additional resources and schedule duration?

Correct Answer: Cost-benefit ratio of each compression activity

The cost-benefit ratio of each compression activity is the most critical consideration when evaluating schedule compression trade-offs. Here's why: 1. Schedule compression involves analyzing which activities can be accelerated most efficiently 2. The cost-benefit ratio helps determine which compression activities provide the best return on investment 3. It enables comparison of different compression options based on their effectiveness per unit cost 4. It helps maintain project budget constraints while achieving maximum schedule reduction Why other options are not the best: - Available experienced team members is a resource constraint, but doesn't help evaluate compression effectiveness - Sequential dependencies are important but are a fixed constraint that doesn't help evaluate compression options - Resource availability is a consideration but doesn't provide a basis for evaluating compression effectiveness The cost-benefit analysis provides quantitative data to make informed decisions about which activities to compress, making it the most critical factor in schedule compression decisions.

Question 2

A project is experiencing schedule delays, and the project manager needs to implement schedule compression. Which method would be most appropriate if the activities have a strong sequential dependency and high technical complexity?

Correct Answer: Crashing specific activities by adding experienced resources to reduce duration

Crashing is the most appropriate method when dealing with activities that have strong sequential dependencies and high technical complexity. Here's why: Activities with strong sequential dependencies must be completed in a specific order, making fast tracking risky or impractical since these activities cannot be performed in parallel. High technical complexity requires skilled resources and careful execution. Crashing, by adding experienced resources, maintains the required sequential order while reducing duration through increased expertise and capacity. Why other options are less suitable: Fast tracking would be risky with strong sequential dependencies as it could lead to rework and quality issues. Resource leveling typically extends project duration rather than compressing it, making it unsuitable for addressing schedule delays. Combining fast tracking with crashing would introduce unnecessary risks given the sequential nature of the work.

Question 3

During a schedule compression review, what indicates the optimal point to stop applying additional compression techniques to an activity?

Correct Answer: When marginal compression costs exceed the benefits gained

The optimal point to stop schedule compression occurs when marginal compression costs exceed the benefits gained. This is a fundamental principle in project management economics. This makes sense because: 1. Schedule compression has associated costs (overtime, additional resources, etc.) 2. Each additional unit of compression typically yields diminishing returns 3. When costs become higher than the benefits, further compression is no longer economically justified The other options are less accurate because: - Reaching estimated minimum completion threshold is arbitrary and doesn't consider cost-benefit analysis - Decreasing team productivity is a symptom of over-compression but not the optimal stopping point - Compression ratio on critical path activities is one factor but doesn't capture the complete cost-benefit picture

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