Schedule Network Analysis

Correct Answer: Perform schedule network analysis to integrate new tasks and see their effect on the critical path.

The project manager should perform schedule network analysis to integrate the new tasks and determine their effect on the critical path. This analysis is essential to understand the impact of the mandatory compliance tasks on the project timeline and to identify any changes to task dependencies and durations. Simply adding tasks without analysis or assuming minimal impact can lead to scheduling conflicts and overlooked delays. Delaying tasks arbitrarily is ineffective without understanding their relationships, and modifying the baseline prematurely without proper analysis may result in inaccurate scheduling and planning.

Correct Answer: Insert a lag time between the material delivery and assembly activities.

To reflect the required five-day delay between material delivery and assembly due to quality inspections, the project manager should insert a lag time between the material delivery and assembly activities. A lag time introduces a waiting period between a predecessor and a successor activity without altering the activities themselves. This ensures that assembly will not commence until five days after the materials are delivered, accurately representing the necessary delay in the project schedule. Introducing a lead time would allow assembly to start before material delivery is complete, which is not feasible in this scenario. Changing the relationship to start-to-start with a five-day delay does not accurately model the dependency, as the assembly must wait until five days after the materials are delivered, not after they start delivering. Adding resource leveling addresses resource constraints but does not account for mandatory waiting periods due to processes like quality inspections.

Correct Answer: Apply resource smoothing to adjust activities within their float to optimize resource usage.

The project manager should apply resource smoothing to adjust activities within their float to optimize resource usage without affecting the project completion date. Resource smoothing redistributes resources by delaying or advancing non-critical activities within their available float, resolving resource conflicts without altering the project's end date. Resource leveling may adjust activity dates beyond their float and could extend the project duration, which is undesirable in this scenario. Fast tracking involves performing activities concurrently, increasing risks and not directly addressing the resource conflicts caused by overlapping non-critical activities. Modifying the project scope to eliminate non-critical activities is a drastic measure that may not be acceptable to stakeholders and is unnecessary when resource smoothing can resolve the issue efficiently.