Project Scheduling and Compression Assignment
The Heart of Harmony Community Center
Prepared for: Joe's Project Management Students
Scenario: The Grand Opening Dilemma
Project: Heart of Harmony Community Center (HoHCC) Construction
Project Manager: Joe
Start Date: Friday, August 1, 2025 (Working Day 1)
Mandatory Milestone (Grand Opening): Monday, January 15, 2028
This is a non-negotiable hard deadline set by La Fondation Lumière. Your analysis must confirm if this date can be met.
Project Triple Constraint Priority (Accept, Enhance, Constraint):
- Time: Constraint (The Grand Opening date must be met.)
- Scope: Constraint (The facility's defined features and quality must be maintained.)
- Cost: Accept (There is flexibility in the budget to absorb compression costs.)
The goal is to meet the Time and Scope Constraints while optimizing the Cost (Accept).
As the newly appointed Project Manager, you have inherited the project schedule data below. Your primary task is to establish the baseline schedule and determine if the current plan can meet the mandatory Grand Opening deadline. You must then propose a recovery strategy.
Assignment Objective & Instructions
Objective: Use the provided network data to analyze the schedule, identify the Critical Path, calculate the schedule variance against the target milestone, and recommend a strategy for schedule compression.
Part 1: Schedule Network Analysis (40 Points)
- Network Diagram: Draw the complete Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) network diagram for the project activities listed in the data table below, showing all Finish-to-Start (FS) relationships. (The student must provide the PDM diagram in their submission).
- Forward Pass: Perform a Forward Pass analysis to calculate the Early Start (ES) and Early Finish (EF) dates (in Working Days) for every activity.
- Backward Pass: Perform a Backward Pass analysis to calculate the Late Finish (LF) and Late Start (LS) dates (in Working Days) for every activity.
- Float & Critical Path: Calculate the Total Float (TF) for every activity. Identify and list the activities that constitute the Critical Path (CP).
Part 2: Variance and Impact Analysis (30 Points)
- Baseline Finish Date: State the project's calculated Early Finish date (EF) for the Grand Opening Event (1.11.4-A) in both Working Days and the corresponding Calendar Date.
- Variance Calculation: Calculate the schedule variance in Working Days between the calculated finish date and the mandatory Grand Opening deadline (January 15, 2028).
*(Note: The deadline of January 15, 2028, occurs on Working Day 619 of the project schedule.)*
- Impact Assessment: Explain the risks and impacts associated with missing a mandatory milestone of this magnitude. Discuss how this variance would affect the project's triple constraint (Scope, Cost, Time), referencing the priorities defined above.
Part 3: Schedule Compression Strategy (30 Points)
Based on your analysis in Part 2, propose a justified schedule compression strategy to meet the January 15, 2028 deadline.
- Strategy Selection: Recommend a combination of Fast Tracking and Crashing techniques. You must reduce the Critical Path duration by the variance calculated in Question 6.
- Implementation Plan (Compression):
- Identify at least five (5) Critical Path activities that are suitable for duration reduction.
- For each of the five selected activities, propose a new (compressed) duration and explicitly justify the technique used (e.g., *Crashing: adding a second shift* or *Fast Tracking: overlapping with predecessor*).
- Prove that the sum of your proposed reductions meets or exceeds the required variance.
- Recalculation: Use your new compressed durations to perform a final Forward Pass calculation to confirm that the Grand Opening (1.11.4-A) now finishes on or before Working Day 619.
Project Schedule Network Data (Complete)
| WBS Code | Activity Name | Duration (Days) | Predecessor(s) | Relationship | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1 | Project Planning & Initiation Completion | 60 | None | FS | |
| 1.1.2 | Project Execution & Monitoring (Continuous Oversight) | 400 | 1.1.1-A | FS | |
| 1.1.4 | Project Closeout & Contract Reconciliation | 30 | 1.10.5-A | FS | Final activity. |
| 1.2.1 | Feasibility Studies & Site Analysis Completion | 60 | None | FS | |
| 1.2.2 | Conceptual Design Development | 30 | 1.2.1-A | FS | |
| 1.2.3 | Schematic Design Approval | 45 | 1.2.2-A | FS | |
| 1.2.4 | Detailed Architectural & Engineering Design (Full Package) | 120 | 1.2.3-A | FS | Structural, MEP, Civil, Landscape designs completed. |
| 1.2.5-A | Submit Regulatory Approvals & Permitting Applications | 10 | 1.2.4-A | FS | |
| 1.2.5-B | Await & Receive Building & Environmental Permits | 90 | 1.2.5-A | FS | Longest dependency/bottleneck for physical start. |
| 1.2.6 | Tender Document Preparation (for Main Contractor) | 30 | 1.2.4-A | FS | Can run parallel to Permitting review (1.2.5-B). |
| 1.3.1 | Main Contractor Selection & Contract Signing | 60 | 1.2.6-A | FS | |
| 1.3.2-A | Order Long Lead MEP & IT Materials | 90 | 1.2.4-A | FS | |
| 1.3.2-B | Procure Finishes, Furniture, & Equipment | 60 | 1.2.4-A | FS | |
| 1.4.1 | Geotechnical Investigation and Report Finalization | 15 | 1.2.1-A | FS | |
| 1.4.2 | Site Clearing & Demolition (Ready for Grading) | 20 | 1.4.1-A, 1.2.5-B | FS | Crucial: Physical site work starts only after permits (1.2.5-B). |
| 1.4.3 | Earthworks & Grading Completion | 30 | 1.4.2-A | FS | |
| 1.4.4 | Foundation Construction & Curing | 75 | 1.4.3-A, 1.3.1-A | FS | Requires ground prep (1.4.3-A) and main contractor (1.3.1-A). |
| 1.5.1 | Structural Framing (Steel & Concrete) | 90 | 1.4.4-A | FS | |
| 1.5.2 | Roof Installation (Weathertight Roof Deck) | 30 | 1.5.1-A | FS | |
| 1.5.3 | Exterior Walls & Cladding Installation | 60 | 1.5.2-A | FS | |
| 1.5.4 | Windows & Doors Installation (Building Enclosure Complete) | 45 | 1.5.3-A | FS | |
| 1.6.1 | Interior Framing & Drywall Installation | 45 | 1.5.4-A | FS | |
| 1.6.2 | Flooring Installation (Main Areas) | 30 | 1.6.1-A | FS | |
| 1.6.3 | Ceiling Installation | 30 | 1.6.1-A | FS | |
| 1.6.4 | Interior Painting & Finishes | 20 | 1.6.2-A, 1.6.3-A | FS | |
| 1.6.5 | Millwork & Cabinetry Installation | 30 | 1.6.4-A | FS | |
| 1.6.6 | Restroom & Kitchen Fixture Installation | 15 | 1.6.5-A, 1.7.2-A | FS | |
| 1.7.1-A | Electrical System Rough-in | 60 | 1.5.4-A, 1.3.2-A | FS | |
| 1.7.2-A | Plumbing System Rough-in | 45 | 1.5.4-A, 1.3.2-A | FS | |
| 1.7.3-A | HVAC System Installation (Ductwork, Units) | 75 | 1.5.4-A, 1.3.2-A | FS | |
| 1.7.4-A | Fire Suppression System Installation | 25 | 1.7.2-A | FS | |
| 1.7.6-A | IT Infrastructure Installation (Cabling, Network) | 20 | 1.7.1-A | FS | |
| 1.7.5-A | Security System Installation | 15 | 1.7.6-A | FS | |
| 1.8.1 | Parking Lot & Walkways Construction | 45 | 1.4.2-A | FS | |
| 1.8.3 | Outdoor Lighting Installation | 10 | 1.7.1-A, 1.8.1-A | FS | |
| 1.8.4 | Landscaping & Irrigation System Installation | 30 | 1.8.1-A | FS | |
| 1.8.5 | Site Signage Installation | 5 | 1.8.4-A | FS | |
| 1.9.1 | Main Hall & Room Furnishing Placement | 20 | 1.6.6-A, 1.3.2-B | FS | |
| 1.9.4 | Kitchen Equipment Installation | 10 | 1.6.6-A | FS | |
| 1.10.1 | System Testing & Debugging (MEP, IT, Security) | 15 | 1.7.5-A, 1.7.4-A, 1.7.3-A | FS | |
| 1.10.2 | Building Commissioning & Punch List Creation | 10 | 1.9.1-A, 1.10.1-A | FS | |
| 1.10.3 | Punch List Completion | 15 | 1.10.2-A | FS | |
| 1.10.4 | Regulatory Handover & Occupancy Permit Receipt | 7 | 1.10.3-A | FS | |
| 1.10.5 | Facility Management Training & Documentation Handover | 5 | 1.10.4-A | FS | |
| 1.11.4 | Grand Opening Event Execution | 3 | 1.10.4-A | FS | MANDATORY FINISH (Day 619). |