Writing
Instructions:
Choose a project to work with. It can be a simple project.
Using any format you prefer, create a WBS for your project.
As discussed in this module, your WBS should show a hierarchical structure. Each level in the hierarchy should contain successively more detail. All the steps that need to be completed should be shown.
Include logical numbering to indicate in which order the steps should be completed. It is not necessary to explicitly indicate precedence.
Copy/paste your WBS into this project document and submit it at the end of the course. Alternatively, you can submit it at the end of the course clearly labeled as a separate file using the naming convention “CEPM501_YourName_WBS.”
Hint: How will you know when your WBS is complete? How will you know if it needs more detail? This is subjective. Professor Nozick offers these self-check questions. You should be able to answer “Yes” to these questions:
Can you create a meaningful project schedule from your WBS?
Does it have enough detail to create a meaningful budget?
Can you assign all the work to a team based on this WBS? (In other words, can you assess all the human resource needs this project has?)
If you can’t answer “Yes,” your WBS needs more detail.
Course Project Part Two: Creating the Project Network
It’s important to practice thinking about how to put durations on tasks. In this part of the course project, you will create a project network, which includes mechanisms to identify task durations. You will identify the critical path and also identify whether there are any shortcomings: are there other paths that may become critical? (This is important to do because if you focus only on the critical path, you will miss the things that will make you late.)
Instructions:
Use the WBS you created in part one of the course project (or another WBS, if you prefer) and translate it into a project network. You can do this in PowerPoint, in Word, or in Visio.
Identify the activities. You should be able to identify at least 10-12 tasks.
Identify the durations of the activities. Ask yourself how sure you are about those durations. Indicate whether your certainty is high, medium, or low.
Identify the precedence between the activities. (In other words, indicate which activities have to be done before something else can be done.)
Identify the critical path.
Identify the smallest amount of time for the project to be completed, the longest amount of time, and the most likely.
Copy/paste your project network into this course project and submit it at the end of the course. Alternatively, you can submit it at the end of the course clearly labeled as a separate file using the naming convention “CEPM501_YourName_ProjectNetwork.”
Instructions:
Construct a Gantt chart for your project.
Identify some of the sources of uncertainty related to task durations. (As discussed, there are many sources of uncertainty; they may relate to customer requirements, methods, availability of resources, facilities, schedule uncertainty, and so on. For the purposes of this exercise, you are only identifying those related to task durations.)
Indicate how you can use float information to help you improve your decision making on this project. What does float information tell you?
Copy/paste your Gantt chart and your answers into this project document and submit it all at the end of the course. Alternatively, you can submit it at the end of the course clearly labeled as a separate file using the naming convention “CEPM501_YourName_Gantt.”
