RECENT ASSIGNMENT

Subject : Project Planning & Management
Question 1. [20 Marks]
You are a project manager who is tasked to produce a driverless truck. To do this, you first need to build and test a prototype of driverless truck in the lab. Below are activities involved to build the truck. Each activity has the duration and its predecessor activities.
Activity Description Duration Predecessor
1
Design 5 N/A
2 Procure prototype parts 8 1
3 Fabricate parts 6 1
4 Assemble prototype 5 2,3
5 Laboratory test 6 4
6 Field test 8 5
7 Adjust design 5 6
8 Order stock components 5 7
9 Order custom components 10 7
10 Assemble test production unit 10 8, 9
11 Test unit 5 10
12 Document results 3 11
Your next steps are :
a. Build an AoN diagram with forward and backward pass to find the ES, LS, EF, LF and Slack days for each activity listed above. (Note: Assume the first activity starts on day 0) [10 marks]
b. Find the critical path in your AoN diagram and the total duration of the project. [3 marks]
c. Transfer all information from the AoN diagram to MS Project and create a Gantt Chart. (Note: Base your plan on the following guidelines: eight-hour days, seven-day weeks, no holiday breaks, 2nd January is the project start date.) [7 marks]
Instructions: You are to submit all answers in the PDF document (this includes copying and pasting the AoN diagram and any diagrams from MS Project).

Question 2. [20 Marks]
You have prepared the following schedule for a project in which the key resource is an injection moulding machine. This schedule is contingent on having 3 such machines.

You receive a call from your partner, Benson, who desperately needs 1 of your injection moulding machines. You tell Benson you would be willing to let him have the machine if you are still able to complete your project in 10 months.
a) Develop a resource schedule and draw a loading chart to see if it is possible to complete the project in 10 months with only 2 machines. Be sure to record the order in which you schedule the activities using scheduling heuristics.
b) Assume that activity5 requires 2 machines, while all other activities require1 machine. No splitting of activities is possible. Can you say yes to Benson’s request?
Write a paragraph answering the question: “Can you say yes to Benson’s request?”
Indicate any assumptions you made and show calculations and justification to clearly indicate how you arrive at your answers.