A critical path and an authorized change
A fictional information-system project has four activities under a simple unconstrained finish-to-start model. ActivityA takes three days and precedesB at four days andC at six days. BothB andC must finish beforeD, which takes five days. All durations include the stated resource assumptions, and no working-day calendar or imposed deadline modifies the network. A customer requests an additional report during execution. A developer proposes adding it immediately without recording the change and then shorteningB by two days to recover the schedule. The sponsor wants the team to distinguish the existing critical path from the impact of a new requirement. This is a written planning exercise; no actual contract variation, budget approval or production release has been authorized.
1. Calculate baseline duration and the effect of shorteningB alone.
Read the worked answer
Paths A-B-D and A-C-D take 12 and 14 days. A-C-D is critical. ShorteningB alone does not reduce the 14 day duration under the supplied network;B originally has 2 days of total float.
2. How should the additional report be handled?
Read the worked answer
Record and assess scope, acceptance, cost, dependencies, risks and resources through the actual approval process. Update authorized baselines and traceability when appropriate; do not claim the unassessed request is covered merely by crashing a noncritical activity.