Project Management and Project Scheduling - Essay Example

3. The network diagram illustrates the sequence of the Foundry project that is due to be completed within 25 weeks. This shows the sequence of different activities that will be undertaken. This constitutes project management that is commonly known as careful management of all the activities involved in a particular project (Burke, 2010). Project planning is also required in order to carry out all the activities and tasks successfully. This helps the people involved in the project to achieve the desired goals in undertaking the work.
4. The critical path in the project shows the longest sequence of events that should be completed on time in order to meet the project schedule with regards to its completion (Business Dictionary, 2015). Accordingly, each sequence that constitutes a critical path should be commenced after the completion of the predecessor. In some cases, these critical paths can be carried out simultaneously after the completion of the predecessor. In the diagram shown above, there are mainly three critical paths. The first one being pouring concrete and installing frames which ought to be carried out after implementing the first two components in the project. This path should take four weeks and effort should be made to ensure that it goes according to schedule in order to avoid delaying the project. The other important critical paths include building high-temperature burner and installing air pollution device which takes four and five weeks respectively. These activities should be completed within the set time frame in order to ensure that the project is not delayed. Since these activities are long, they should be carried in such a way that everything goes according to schedule in order to avoid wasting resources.
5. The activity schedule of the project can be illustrated in the form of a table and it shows the different activities that would be performed in undertaking the project. This schedule shows the exact period anticipated to be spent during the execution of each particular phase of the project. In most cases, the project schedule is drawn by the members involved in the project under the leadership of the project manager. This schedule can be reviewed when the need arises to make sure that all activities are going according to plan. In some instances, changes may be made to ensure that all work goes according to schedule. The activity schedule can also be illustrated in the form of a work breakdown structure (WBS). This is a hierarchical presentation of different project activities also showing the duration they are expected to be completed. The WBS at times shows the activities that are dependent on each other and it also highlights the project components that can be carried out simultaneously. The project schedule below shows that the project will take approximately 25 weeks to complete.

Table 1

Activity

Description

Time (Weeks)

A

Build internal components

2

B

Modify roof and floor

3

C

Construct collection stack

2

D

Pour the concrete and install the frame

4

E

Build high-temperature burner

4

F

Install pollution control system

3

G

Install air pollution device

5

H

Inspect and test

2

Total time (Weeks)

25

4. If the project starts on my birthday, 01 May 2015, its expected completion date is around 15 October 2015. In this particular case, a full week will constitute seven working days excluding Sundays. This means that the anticipated 25 weeks of completion of the project exclude Sundays which brings us to the conclusion that by mid-October, the project would have been completed if all work goes according to schedule. It is also anticipated that no delays will be witnessed in the project.