Session 6A – Project schedule management

Question 1 - answer
Using the information given in table 1:
a) Draw a network of the activities given in the table; identify the critical path, the total and free floats.
b) Use the network constructed in part (a) above to draw a bar (Gantt) chart. Indicate the critical path, total float
and free float on the chart.
c) Using the Gantt chart drawn in (b) and the resources shown in the table draw a resource histogram and
cumulative resource curve (“S” curve). Note – the resources given are the number of resources used per task per
week.
Table 1
Activity Predecessor Duration (wks) Resources
A - 2 2
B A 4 1
C A 6 3
D C 3 2
E D 3 2
F B 1 1
G F 4 2
H G&E 6 3
J H 3 3
K H 2 1
L K 4 3
M J&L 2 1
 Session 6A – Project schedule management

a) Analysed Network

2 4 6 6 1 7 7 4 11 20 3 23 FF 3
B F G FF 3 J
5 3 9 9 3 10 10 3 14 23 3 26

0 2 2 14 6 20 26 2 28
A H M
0 0 2 14 0 20 26 0 28

2 6 8 8 3 11 11 3 14 20 2 22 22 4 26
C D E K L
2 0 8 8 0 11 11 0 14 20 0 22 22 0 26

Critical Path = A - E & H - K - L - M G & J have Free Float = 3 weeks

KEY

ES D EF ES Earliest Start Time FF 2 Free Float (2 units)

ID EF Earliest Finish Time
LS TF LF LS Latest Start Time
LF Latest Finish Time
D Duration
TF Total Float

Arrow indicates critical path

b) Gant Chart

Wk 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
A KEY
B
C Total Float
D
E F Total and Free Float
F
G F F F Critical Path Tasks
H
J F F F Non Critical Path Tasks
K
L
M

b) Gant Chart with resources

Wk 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
A 2 2
B 1 1 1 1
C 3 3 3 3 3 3
D 2 2 2
E 2 2 2 KEY
F 1
G 2 2 2 2 F F F Total Float
H 3 3 3 3 3 3
J 3 3 3 F F F F Total/Free Float
K 1 1
L 3 3 3 3
M 1 1
`
Men/week 0 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 5 4 4 4 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 6 3 3 3 1 1
Cumulative Man Weeks 0 2 4 8 12 16 20 24 29 33 37 41 43 45 47 50 53 56 59 62 65 69 73 79 82 85 88 89 90
 Session 6A – Project schedule management

c) Resource Histogram

Resource Histogram

5
Man Weeks

4
Men/week
3

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Week Number

c) ‘S’ Curve

Cumulative "S" Curve

100
90
80
Cumulative Man Weeks

70
60
50 Cumulative Man Weeks

40
30
20
10
0

Week Number