The Apply Your Knowledge section contains four mini-cases. Each case describes a situati...

The Apply Your Knowledge section contains four mini-cases. Each case describes a situation, explains your role in the case, and asks you to respond to questions. You can answer the questions by applying knowledge you learned in the chapter.

Lightfoot Industries You have been asked to lead a training session for new employees at Lightfoot Industries. You must develop a specific schedule for the tasks listed below (the estimated task duration for each is shown in parentheses):

• First, you need to contact the participants and explain their roles (1 day). Then you must obtain approval from their department managers (5 days).

• After you obtain the approval, two tasks can begin at the same time: You can arrange the meeting room (4 days) and prepare an agenda for the initial session (11 days).

• When the agenda is ready, you can start two more concurrent tasks: Prepare the information packets (4 days) and create visual aids (8 days).

• When the meeting room is arranged and the information packets are ready, you can send out an e-mail to participants (1 day).

• Finally, after the e-mail is sent to participants and the visual aids are ready, you can conduct the JAD sessions (5 days).

1. Prepare a list showing all tasks and their durations.

2. Analyze the fact situation carefully to determine which tasks are concurrent and which ones are dependent on other tasks.

3. Using PERT/CPM techniques, develop a chart that shows the project. Use a format similar to Figure 3-27 on page 117. If project management software is available, use it to develop the chart.

4. What is the critical path for this project? How do you know?

FIGURE 3-27