CASES/PROBLEMS IN NETWORK ANALYSIS

Q.1 A project team has been organized at Global Technology Inc (GTI) to design and
develop slightly different version of one of the firm’s industrial robots. The new robot
is named RAMOV (Random Access Mobile Orthogonal Vision) robot. One of the
GTI’s most important customers wants to see the demonstration, technical proposal
and cost proposal in 2 months. The project team listed activities, determined order of
activities and estimated how much time each activity would take. This information
about activities is presented in the table below:

Activity Activity Immediate Activity

Code predecessor Duration
in days
A Design RAMOV - 20
B Build Prototype unit A 10
C Perform test on prototype B 8
D Estimate material cost A 11
E Refine RAMOV design C, D 7
F Demonstrate RAMOV to customer E 6
G Estimate labour cost D 12
H Prepare technical proposal E 13
I Deliver proposal to customer G, H 5

1. Draw a Network Diagram for the RAMOV project

2. Identify critical path, critical activity and compute project duration
3. Compute slack for each activity
4. What additional information the Project Team needs to have if it decides to
shorten the project duration.
-
Q 2. Naronha, the Product Manager of Classic Skincare has been given responsibility of
launching a newly developed skin care lotion for dry skin. Naronha plans to hire and
train sales staff, hire advertisement agency, and market the product through
distributors. Naronha has gathered information on activities, their interrelationship,
and time required for the activities as detailed below:

ACTIVIT ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION PRECEDENT TIME IN

Y CODE ACTIVITY WEEKS
A Hire Sales personnel - 4
B Train Sales personnel A 7
C Select advertisement agency - 5
D Plan Advertisement Campaign C 6
E Conduct advertisement campaign D 10
F Design package - 2
G Manufacture and pack products in cartons F 7
H Select distributors - 9
I Procure and Process orders from B, H 4
Distributors
J Dispatch cartons to the Distributors E, G, I 2

a. Draw a Network Diagram for the project

b. Identify critical path, critical activity and compute project duration
c. Compute slack for each activity
 d. What will be the effect on project duration if activity G is delayed by 4 weeks

Q.3 Easylift Engineers specializes in manufacturing spares for material handling

equipments. Recently the company received an order for supply of special design
Sleeve. For the project following information on activities involved, their precedence
relationship and duration has been obtained:

Activity Activity Description Predecess Duration in

Code or days
A Prepare process plan - 3
B Design jigs and fixtures A 12
C Prepare casting drawings A 2
D Manufacture jigs and fixtures B 10
E Purchase castings C 25
F Rough Turn castings E 8
G Finish diameter F 6
H Broach Keyway D, G 2
I Drill and Tap H 1
J Pack and Dispatch I 1

a. Draw a Network Diagram for the project.

b. When can the delivery of Sleeves be made?
c. If duration of activity B - is reduced to 8 days, will this reduction in activity time
have any effect on delivery period
d. Compute slack for each activity.

Q 4. For a pipeline renewal project the activities, duration in days and relationship is given
below:

Activity Activity Description Predecess Duration in

Code or days
A Measure and sketch old line - 2
B Develop material list A 1
C Erect scaffold B 2
D Procure pipe B 30
E Procure valves B 45
F Remove old line B,C 6
G Prefabricate new pipe D 5
H Place Valve C,E 1
I Place new pipe and weld F,G 8
J Connect valve ,H,I 1
K Remove Scaffold and handover J 2
Q1 Draw a Network Diagram and compute project duration.
Q2 If time duration of the activity –‘Procure valves’ changes from 45 days to 40
days, what will be the effect on project duration.
Q3 Calculate Slack for all activities.
Q 5. For the data below
(a) Develop the A-O-A network with a single source and single sink.
(b) Enumerate all paths in the network and their length.
Job Predecessors Duration
A -- 6
B -- 4
C A 3
D A,B 5
E D 2
F D,E 8
G D,E,F 5
H F,G 4
I E,F 2
J H,I 6
K I,J 3
Q.6
Q 7. A project consists of 11 activities, lettered A through K, below. For each activity, the
preceding activity is given, and a deterministic estimate of the length of time required
to complete it in weeks.
Activity Time Preceding Activity Time Preceding
Activity Activity

A 1 week - G 4 weeks E

B 3 A H 6 F

C 2 A I 2 G

D 4 C J 1 H,I

E 2 - K 1 B,D,J

F 3 E

a. Draw the precedence network for this project, with the activities on the arrows.
b. List all of the paths through the network.
c. What is the duration of each of the paths?
d. Calculate ES, EF, LS, LF for each activity.
e. What is the critical path?
f. What is the slack time for each activity?
g. The materials required to accomplish activity F have been delayed for two
weeks by a strike at the supplier's plant. What effect will this have on the length
of time required to complete the project?
h. An equipment breakdown has delayed activity B for one week. What effect will
this have on the length of time required to complete the project?
 CASES/PROBLEMS ON THREE TIME ESTIMATES

Q 8. A project consists of 8 activities, lettered A through H below. For each activity, the preceding
activity is given, and a probabilistic estimate of the time required completing it.
Times are in days.
Activity Preceding Optimistic Time Most Likely Time Pessimistic Time
Activity
A -- 2 4 6
B A 3 6 9
C A 2 5 11
D -- 2 10 12
E C, 4 8 15
F B,E 2 4 12
G D 3 4 11
H F,G 1 1 1

Determine critical path and project duration [2 marks]

Due to earthquake the project was started late by 3 days. Management was faced with the
problem of how to make up the lost time, and how much it would cost. Estimates of crash times
and costs for each activity are given below.
Activity Crash Time Cost per
Day
A Not possible -
B 3 days 200 per day
C not possible -
D not possible -
E 5 days 300 per day
F 2 days 500 per day
G not possible -
H not possible -

Which activity should be crashed on priority? [1 mark]

How many days should it be crashed? [1 mark]
How much will be the additional cost? [1 mark]

Q 9. A project consisting of eight activities has the following characteristics

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Activity Preceding Time Estimates (in weeks)
Activity ---------------------------------------------------------
Optimistic Most Likely Pessimistic
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A None 2 4 6
B None 10 12 26
C A 8 9 10
D A 10 15 20
E A 7 7.5 11
F B, C 9 9 9
G D 3 3.5 7
H E,F,G 5 5 5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
a) Draw the PERT network for the project
b) Determine the critical path (showing earliest and latest times)
Q 10. Solve numerical given below:

Q 11. Data on ABC project, pertaining to Activity, Precedence, Duration is given below
Activity Precedence Duration (days)
a m b
1. Perform requirement analysis -- 2 3 5
2. Select and lease a building. 1 10 15 17
3. Select a manager. -- 3 5 8
4. Relocate the manager. 3 15 20 24
5. Place advertisement 1 3 5 8
6. Order equipment 1 1 2 4
7. Receive equipment 6 22 25 27
8. Check equipment 7 7 10 13
9. Move/install equipment 8,11 1 3 5
10. Develop layout 2 3 5 7
11. Secure electrical, plumbing services 10 7 10 12
12. Order materials. 2 1 2 5
13. Receive materials. 12 7 10 13
14. Interview and select personnel 5,4 8 10 14
15. Train personnel 13,9,14 7 10 13

Compute the following after drawing a PERT network:

Expected time betweens events?
1. Standard Deviation
2. Statistical estimation of completion of project with (a) 68% confidence level
and (b) 99% confidence level.

Q 12. A project consists of 8 activities, lettered A through H. below. For each activity, the
preceding activity is given, and a probabilistic estimate of the time required
completing it. Times are in days.
 Preceding Optimistic Most Likely Pessimistic

Activity Activity Time Time Time

A -- 2 days 4 days 6 days

B A 3 6 9

C A 2 5 11

D -- 2 10 12

E C, 4 8 15

F B,E 2 4 12

G D 3 4 11

H F,G 1 1 1

a. Determine the expected time for each activity.

b. Determine the variance for each activity
c. Draw the PERT network for this project, with the activities on the arrows.
d. List all of the paths through the network.
e. What is the duration of each path? What is the variance of each path?
f. What is the critical path?
g. What is the second-most critical path?
h. Activity D was delayed three days by an earthquake in the area. What effect
does this have on the length of time required to complete the project?
i. What is the mean of the probability distribution for the completion time?
j. What is the standard deviation of the probability distribution for the completion
time?
k. What is the probability of finishing the project within 24 days?
l. What is the probability of finishing the project within 22 days?
m. What is the probability that the project will take longer than 28 days?

Q 13. For the project with data given in table below:

(a) Develop the A-O-A network

(b) Under standard PERT assumptions determine the critical path
(c) Compute probabilities that the project is completed within 50%, 75%, 90%, 110%,
125% and 150% of the critical path duration.
(d) For the non-critical node in the project, determine the probability of a positive
slack.
Job Predecessors Duration (a,m,b)
A -- 2,5,8
B -- 2,2,14
C A 3,6,9
D A 2,8,14
E A 2,8,14
 F B,C 3,6,15
G D,F 6,15,24
H D,F 1,4,7
I E,H 1,7,13

Q 14. Consider the following network for a small maintenance project (all times are in days;
network proceeds from node 1 to node 7):

a. Draw an arrow diagram representing the project.

b. What is the critical path and associated time?
c. What is the total slack time in the network?
d. What is the expected time for 68, 95, and 99 percent completion limits?
e. If activity G had an estimated time of fifteen days, what impact would this have on
your answer to part b?
 CASES/PROBLEMS ON PROJECT CRASHING

Q 15. A small project is having seven activities (A to G). The relevant data about these
activities is given below: [15 marks]
Activity Dependence Normal Crash Normal Cost Crash Cost
Duration Duration (Rs.) (Rs.)
(Days) (Days)
A ––– 7 5 500 900
B A 4 2 400 600
C A 5 5 500 500
D A 6 4 800 1000
E B,C 7 4 700 1000
F C,D 5 2 800 1400
G E,F 6 4 800 1600
(I) Draw the project network. Find out the duration of each path in the network.
(II) Mark the critical path in the network and find out its length.
(III) What is the percentage increase in cost to complete the project in 21 days.

Q 16. On May 1, Arnie Watson sent a memo to his boss, the director of project management,
stating that the MX project would require thirteen weeks for completion according to the
figure shown

Arnie realized that the customer wanted the job completed in less time. After discussions
with the functional managers, Arnie developed the table shown below:
a. According to the contract, there is a penalty payment of $5,000 per week for every
week over six. What is the minimum amount of additional funding that Arnie should
request?
b. Suppose your answer to part a give you the same additional minimum cost for both an
eight-week and a nine-week project. What factors would you consider before deciding
whether to do it in eight or nine weeks?
 CASES/PROBLEMS ON RESOURCE LEVELING / RESOURCE SMOOTHENING

Q 17. The project below has to be scheduled for execution. What is the minimum time in
which it can be completed assuming unlimited supply of manpower? If only 10 men were
available what the minimum bound on the duration? Prepare resource histogram based on
early start and late start. Which is better? Using Wiest's heuristic for resource allocation
determine the minimum duration schedule for the project.

Job Predecessors Duration (days) Manpower needed

A - 4 8
B A 6 6
C A 2 8
D B 5 4
E C 3 7
F D,E 6 4
G C 5 9

Q18. Prepare resource histogram based on early start and late start. Which is better? For the
project with the following data obtain the best levelled resource profile using the procedure of
Burgess and Killebrew.

Duration Daily manpower

Activity Predecessor
(days) requirements
A1 - 4 6
A2 - 2 4
A3 A1 1 3
A4 A1 6 2
A5 A2,A3 3 5
A6 A4,A5 4 3
A7 A4,A5 2 8
A8 A6 1 5