Mary Yetter,a Staff Analyst at the Los Angeles Plant of Computer

question 56

Essay

Mary Yetter,a staff analyst at the Los Angeles plant of Computer Products Corporation,is assigned to the team that is developing the process design for producing the bar code scanner of Example 1.The corporate planning group in San Jose,California has contacted her and has asked how confident the design group is about completing the project in 60 days.She has developed these estimated time durations in days for the project: $$\begin{array} { c c c c c } \hline \hline \text { Activity } & \begin{array} { c } \text { Immediate } \\\text { Predecessor } \\\text { Activities }\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Optimistic } \\\text { Time } \left( t _ { 0 } \right)\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Most Likely } \\\text { Time } \left( t _ { \mathrm { m } } \right)\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Pessimistic } \\\text { Time } \left( t _ { \mathrm { p } } \right)\end{array} \\\hline \text { A } & - & 10 & 12 & 15 \\\text { B } & \text { A } & 6 & 10 & 14 \\\text { C } & \text { A } & 10 & 15 & 20 \\\text { D } & \text { A } & 9 & 9 & 18 \\\text { E } & \text { B } & 5 & 6 & 8 \\\text { F } & \text { C,E } & 10 & 12 & 13 \\\text { G } & \text { B } & 12 & 14 & 16 \\\text { H } & \text { B,D } & 18 & 21 & 24 \\\text { I } & \text { B,D } & 10 & 15 & 20 \\\text { J } & \text { F.G.H } & 8 & 10 & 14 \\\hline \hline\end{array}$$
a. Compute the expected time and variance for each activity.
b. Determine the critical path and the expected duration of the project.
c. What is the probability that the project will take longer than 58 days to complete?
d. Which path in the project network offers the greatest risk of overrunning a new deadline of 56 days?

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Definitions:

Compartmentalization

A psychological defense mechanism wherein a person separates conflicting thoughts, emotions, or experiences to avoid discomfort.

Relocation

The process of moving to a new place, often involving significant logistical, emotional, and sometimes financial considerations.

Homesteading

The practice of self-sufficiency through sustainable agriculture and home preservation of foodstuffs.

Congruence

The state or condition of being in agreement or harmony, often used in mathematics to describe figures that are identical in shape and size, and in psychology, it refers to the alignment between an individual's self-concept and reality.