3.3.4 Critical Path Analysis (CPA)

• What does Critical Path Analysis (CPA) determine in a project schedule?

  The critical path
• Critical Path Analysis facilitates efficient resource allocation
• A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is used to identify project activities.


  True
• What does a network diagram consist of in Critical Path Analysis?

  Nodes and arrows
• In a network diagram, nodes represent activities and arrows represent dependencies.


  True
• What is the earliest start time for an activity with no predecessors?

  0 days
• What is the Earliest Start (ES) time for Activity A in the example project?

  0 days
• The Latest Finish (LF) time is calculated to identify the critical path.


  True
• Match the activity with its Earliest Start (ES) time:

  A ↔️ 0 days

  B ↔️ 3 days

  C ↔️ 8 days

  D ↔️ 15 days
• If activities A (3 days), B (5 days), and C (7 days) must be completed sequentially, what is the total duration of the critical path?

  15 days
• To identify project activities, a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is used.
• Order the methods for estimating activity durations in Critical Path Analysis (CPA):

  1️⃣ Expert judgment

  2️⃣ Analogous estimation

  3️⃣ Parametric estimation
• What is the Earliest Start (ES) time for Activity A in the example network diagram?

  0 days
• The Latest Finish (LF) time is calculated to identify the critical path.


  True
• What is the Earliest Start (ES) time for an activity dependent on a predecessor with an Early Finish (EF) of 5 days?

  5 days
• The Late Finish (LF) for the last activity is the same as its Early Finish (EF)


  True
• The critical path is the sequence of activities where the Early Start (ES) and Late Start (LS) are equal.


  True
• Match the activity ID with its duration and ES/EF/LS/LF times:

  A ↔️ Duration: 3, ES: 0, EF: 3, LS: 0, LF: 3

  B ↔️ Duration: 5, ES: 3, EF: 8, LS: 3, LF: 8
• The Late Finish (LF) for the last activity is the same as its Early Finish (EF)


  True
• Steps to identify the critical path using Critical Path Analysis (CPA)

  1️⃣ Use a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to identify activities

  2️⃣ Estimate the duration for each activity

  3️⃣ Develop a network diagram showing dependencies

  4️⃣ Calculate Early Start (ES), Early Finish (EF), Late Start (LS), and Late Finish (LF) times

  5️⃣ Identify the critical path as the longest sequence of activities where ES and LS are equal
• Project dependencies refer to relationships between activities where one activity must be completed before another can start.
• One drawback of CPA is that it requires accurate data and resource estimates.
• What does Critical Path Analysis (CPA) determine in a project schedule?

  Critical path
• Changes in project activities can disrupt the plan in CPA.


  True
• What is an activity in CPA terms?

  Specific task
• What is the duration of the activity 'Plan Project'?

  3 days
• Match the method for estimating activity durations with its description:

  Expert judgment ↔️ Relying on team experience

  Analogous estimation ↔️ Comparing to similar past projects

  Parametric estimation ↔️ Using statistical relationships
• Accurate duration estimation is crucial for creating a realistic project timeline.


  True
• Which type of network diagram uses nodes to represent activities?

  Activity-on-Node
• The critical path in the example diagram takes 17 days in total.


  True
• The Early Finish (EF) is calculated by adding the ES to the activity duration.
• The network diagram visually represents project relationships and timings
• The Early Finish (EF) is calculated by adding the Early Start (ES) to the activity duration


  True
• The critical path is the longest sequence of activities where the Early Start (ES) and Late Start (LS) times are equal
• What is the critical path in the example provided, and how long does it take?

  A → B → C → D, 17 days
• What is the critical path in the example provided, and how long does it take?

  A → B → C → D, 17 days
• Match the dependency type with its description:

  Finish-to-Start ↔️ Activity B can start only after Activity A is finished

  Start-to-Start ↔️ Activity B can start only after Activity A has started

  Finish-to-Finish ↔️ Activity B can finish only after Activity A is finished

  Start-to-Finish ↔️ Activity B can finish only after Activity A has started
• What is float or slack in project management?

  Delay without affecting duration
• Critical Path Analysis helps identify critical tasks in a project.


  True
• What is an activity in Critical Path Analysis?

  A specific project task