Would anyone draw a critical path diagram for the following inputs. This is the question asked in the PMP exam yesterday. Unfortunately I couldn't able to figure out the diagram to answer the question asked which is weird.
1. B is the follower of A, Activity effort is 10. 2. C is the follower of B, Activity effort is 5. 3. D is the follower of A, Activity effort is 3. 4. E is the predecessor of C & D, Activity effort is 6.
What is the float(Free & Total) of D? For the inputs, I do see a Cyclic CPM then how it is possible to draw a path? Saving Changes...
Well apart from the fact you are not suppose to post PMP exam questions, these are the issues with your question: 1. I am pretty sure E was a successor and not a predecessor. 2. you have not stated the activity time for A. 3. If E really was really a predecessor to C & D, that would make D (and C) the end points along their path, yet you're asking the float of D. That would only make sense if E was the successor of C and D. Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Sante brings up good points. Assuming that you really meant E to be the successor of C and D, the activity effort for A is not required.
You wind up with two paths.
1. A - B - C - E
2. A - D - E
The paths can be evaluated solely by comparing B + C against D. Given the efforts for the tasks, the first path will be you longest and, therefore, you critical path.
D's total float is determined by the fact that it can be delayed by B + C - D, or 12, before it will become the critical path and push the the project end date. In this case the free float is the same as the total float since the early start date of E will be the same as its latest start date. Saving Changes...
Thank you folks for your response. I'm sorry that I have forgotten the fact that I shouldn't disclose the privacy matter. However, I have red the matter of facts (inputs) again and again to make sure whether the question is asking predecessor or successor. E is the Predecessor of C & D. Let's assume activity A's effort was 7. Based on the inputs I drew the paths and came up with 4 paths as 1) A-B-C. 2) A-D 3) E-C, 4) E-D. Just I'm curious in drawing/understanding the diagram such as how it is possible. I felt like it was an acyclic graph.
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1 reply by Stéphane Parent
Sep 02, 2017 6:19 PM
Stéphane Parent
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The problem you have if you go with the assumption that E is predecessor to C and D is that you don't have an activity that succeeds C and D to bring them together.
I took the PMI-SP exam in 2010. It had a LOT of network diagrams. None were open ended or with four paths.
Are you sure that it was not a transcription error? Is it possible that the sentence was "E has predecessors C and D"?
Given that you can't take your paper notes after the exam, how can you be sure about the question?
Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Sep 02, 2017 3:02 PM
Replying to Sridhar Raju Mahali
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Thank you folks for your response. I'm sorry that I have forgotten the fact that I shouldn't disclose the privacy matter. However, I have red the matter of facts (inputs) again and again to make sure whether the question is asking predecessor or successor. E is the Predecessor of C & D. Let's assume activity A's effort was 7. Based on the inputs I drew the paths and came up with 4 paths as 1) A-B-C. 2) A-D 3) E-C, 4) E-D. Just I'm curious in drawing/understanding the diagram such as how it is possible. I felt like it was an acyclic graph.
The problem you have if you go with the assumption that E is predecessor to C and D is that you don't have an activity that succeeds C and D to bring them together.
I took the PMI-SP exam in 2010. It had a LOT of network diagrams. None were open ended or with four paths.
Are you sure that it was not a transcription error? Is it possible that the sentence was "E has predecessors C and D"?
Given that you can't take your paper notes after the exam, how can you be sure about the question?
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1 reply by Sridhar Raju Mahali
Sep 04, 2017 2:56 PM
Sridhar Raju Mahali
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The notes that I have are from that I remember (Visual and Brain dump) because I had spent around 3-4 minutes particularly on this PDM question inputs. There was a table given with 4 columns and 6 rows. Column 1: Activity names (A,B,C,D,E), Column 2: Activity Duration/efforts (7,10,5,3,6 These numbers I did not remember exactly so just example numbers), Column 3: Descriptions of activities (B is Follower of A, C is follower of B, D is follower of A, and E is Predecessor of C & D), and column 4: S, SF,SF...(I assumed like these might not have any value so I just ignored those...) You are right there is a difference between "is" and "has". If I might have red "has" as "is" several times then it's my fault and it shouldn't be as easy to draw the diagram, else NO issues/concerns. BUT if it is really typed as "is" instead of "has" Then this question must & should be corrected by PMI. I don't care whether I figured out an answer or not for the wrong question asked BUT I wanted to make sure NONE other get impacted with this kind of wrong questions if it was a transcription error. unfortunately I do not have any evidence to substantiate my logic.
Saving Changes...
Praveen MalikIndependent Consultant| Independent ConsultantNew Delhi, India
This question can be easily solved by preparing a Network Diagram by using PDM.
The problem you have if you go with the assumption that E is predecessor to C and D is that you don't have an activity that succeeds C and D to bring them together.
I took the PMI-SP exam in 2010. It had a LOT of network diagrams. None were open ended or with four paths.
Are you sure that it was not a transcription error? Is it possible that the sentence was "E has predecessors C and D"?
Given that you can't take your paper notes after the exam, how can you be sure about the question?
The notes that I have are from that I remember (Visual and Brain dump) because I had spent around 3-4 minutes particularly on this PDM question inputs. There was a table given with 4 columns and 6 rows. Column 1: Activity names (A,B,C,D,E), Column 2: Activity Duration/efforts (7,10,5,3,6 These numbers I did not remember exactly so just example numbers), Column 3: Descriptions of activities (B is Follower of A, C is follower of B, D is follower of A, and E is Predecessor of C & D), and column 4: S, SF,SF...(I assumed like these might not have any value so I just ignored those...) You are right there is a difference between "is" and "has". If I might have red "has" as "is" several times then it's my fault and it shouldn't be as easy to draw the diagram, else NO issues/concerns. BUT if it is really typed as "is" instead of "has" Then this question must & should be corrected by PMI. I don't care whether I figured out an answer or not for the wrong question asked BUT I wanted to make sure NONE other get impacted with this kind of wrong questions if it was a transcription error. unfortunately I do not have any evidence to substantiate my logic.
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1 reply by Stéphane Parent
Sep 04, 2017 6:32 PM
Stéphane Parent
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Your intention sounds noble, even laudable, Sri Raj.
PMI has quite a quality assurance process around certification exams and the ir questions. I suspect that the questions are reviewed and pre-tested to ensure no reading error from the exam taker.
Between the PMP and PMI-SP exams I took, there never was a network activity diagram so unique and eccentric. Most of them have two or three paths that properly finish together.
Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Sep 04, 2017 2:56 PM
Replying to Sridhar Raju Mahali
...
The notes that I have are from that I remember (Visual and Brain dump) because I had spent around 3-4 minutes particularly on this PDM question inputs. There was a table given with 4 columns and 6 rows. Column 1: Activity names (A,B,C,D,E), Column 2: Activity Duration/efforts (7,10,5,3,6 These numbers I did not remember exactly so just example numbers), Column 3: Descriptions of activities (B is Follower of A, C is follower of B, D is follower of A, and E is Predecessor of C & D), and column 4: S, SF,SF...(I assumed like these might not have any value so I just ignored those...) You are right there is a difference between "is" and "has". If I might have red "has" as "is" several times then it's my fault and it shouldn't be as easy to draw the diagram, else NO issues/concerns. BUT if it is really typed as "is" instead of "has" Then this question must & should be corrected by PMI. I don't care whether I figured out an answer or not for the wrong question asked BUT I wanted to make sure NONE other get impacted with this kind of wrong questions if it was a transcription error. unfortunately I do not have any evidence to substantiate my logic.
Your intention sounds noble, even laudable, Sri Raj.
PMI has quite a quality assurance process around certification exams and the ir questions. I suspect that the questions are reviewed and pre-tested to ensure no reading error from the exam taker.
Between the PMP and PMI-SP exams I took, there never was a network activity diagram so unique and eccentric. Most of them have two or three paths that properly finish together.
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1 reply by Sridhar Raju Mahali
Sep 05, 2017 1:32 PM
Sridhar Raju Mahali
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Of course quality assurance process might be there in place but it doesn't mean 100% defect free. Just I'm comparing with my experience, as I knew PMI is OPM3. In my company, We go through rigorous quality assurance processes for our product certification exams though sometimes we had to rewrite or cancel the entire exam paper based on several variables such as errors or not much test takers, failure % is higher, cut off score is too high and etc...So, I still believe there might be an error in the question. Just FYI nothing to do with our original question., I had prepared/participated in more than 5 exam papers out of 100+ products. For each and every exam paper that we release in the market, we will have a psychometrician, exam question paper setter panel from 6 continents (6 top most product champions/experts who are on field at customers), and 10-20 experts will have to answer the questions and provide their feedback's, ratings, observations, guess probabilities, trained v/s experienced percentages correctness, and time took to read question and answer from each participant, and some other etc variables....Though sometimes we have to re-prepare the exam paper/questions/answers depending on the results evaluation. sometimes some questions go wrong & unnoticed also unless someone points out. :)
It seems this discussion is never ending unless we have that question revealed as a fine print. At least, I wish, anyone from PMI would read this thread and take the corrective action if needed. And also there is a chance that particular question is out of from 25 pre-test questions. :) We don;t know.
Thank you for directing me to a good article. It was mentioned, most likely, as a "duration" to complete activities A, B, C,D and E. Typically duration's may have ratio of efforts and resources so what I observed it was likely a duration BUT I'm clear & firm about the wording {E (is/has) predecessor of C & D [In-fact this clue provided by Mr Parent, made me to rethink...]} Saving Changes...
Your intention sounds noble, even laudable, Sri Raj.
PMI has quite a quality assurance process around certification exams and the ir questions. I suspect that the questions are reviewed and pre-tested to ensure no reading error from the exam taker.
Between the PMP and PMI-SP exams I took, there never was a network activity diagram so unique and eccentric. Most of them have two or three paths that properly finish together.
Of course quality assurance process might be there in place but it doesn't mean 100% defect free. Just I'm comparing with my experience, as I knew PMI is OPM3. In my company, We go through rigorous quality assurance processes for our product certification exams though sometimes we had to rewrite or cancel the entire exam paper based on several variables such as errors or not much test takers, failure % is higher, cut off score is too high and etc...So, I still believe there might be an error in the question. Just FYI nothing to do with our original question., I had prepared/participated in more than 5 exam papers out of 100+ products. For each and every exam paper that we release in the market, we will have a psychometrician, exam question paper setter panel from 6 continents (6 top most product champions/experts who are on field at customers), and 10-20 experts will have to answer the questions and provide their feedback's, ratings, observations, guess probabilities, trained v/s experienced percentages correctness, and time took to read question and answer from each participant, and some other etc variables....Though sometimes we have to re-prepare the exam paper/questions/answers depending on the results evaluation. sometimes some questions go wrong & unnoticed also unless someone points out. :)
It seems this discussion is never ending unless we have that question revealed as a fine print. At least, I wish, anyone from PMI would read this thread and take the corrective action if needed. And also there is a chance that particular question is out of from 25 pre-test questions. :) We don;t know. Saving Changes...
