CASE STUDIES

Course Case Studies

The case studies are designed to give you a glimpse of real life projects. Please give yourself enough time to solve each case study. After solving all the case studies, please forward your answers to certificate@projectcontrolacademy.com for an extra credit.

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Applied Project Controls Training

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Applied Project Controls Training C A S E S T U D Y # 1

SCHEDULE DEVELOPMENT & CRITICAL PATH METHOD

You are assigned as a planner/ scheduler to develop a schedule for the design, procurement, and construction of a” Control Tower Building” project.

For building the Control Tower, it is required to design the Control Module structure first and then design the Control Tower Column next. Ordering the required material and executing the work will happen after the design. The design, order, and manufacturing of the Traffic Control Panels equipment is independent of the design of the Control Tower Building. The reason is that the design of Traffic Control Panel equipment follows a standard.

Required activities for executing the project and the duration required for each activity are listed below (No specific order is followed in listing the activities):

Applied Project Controls Training

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Applied Project Controls Training C A S E S T U D Y # 1

Activity List Duration (Weeks)

A- Design the Traffic Control Panel Equipment 3 w

B- Order the Traffic Control Panel Equipment 2 w

C- Manufacture and Deliver the Traffic Control Panel Equipment 16 w

D- Commissioning & Start-up the Traffic Control Panels 4 w

E- Design the Control Module 5 w

F- Design the Control Tower Column 1 w

G- Evaluate and order material for the Control Tower Column 1 w

H- Evaluate and order material for the Control Module 2 w

I- Deliver the material for the Control Module and Control Tower Column 3 w

J- Construct the Control Module and Control Tower Column 8 w

K- Install the Traffic Control Panel Equipment 2 w

Based on the information provided,

Draw a Network Arrow Diagram as well as a Precedence Network Diagram for this project.

Draw a Gantt chart for this project.

What is the minimum required time for completing this project? ( according to the CPM method)

If designing the Control Module delays for one week, two weeks, five weeks, or eight weeks, what are the impacts of these delays on project completion date?

The duration of designing the Control Tower is estimated at one week. However, during the first schedule update it is realized that the design will take at least 4 weeks. What is the impact of this change on the overall project?

The vendor informed us that delivering the material for the Control Module and Control Tower Column is taking 3 weeks longer than expected. What is the impact of this change on the consequent activities and project completion date?

Applied Project Controls Training

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Applied Project Controls Training C A S E S T U D Y # 2

MEASURING KEY COMPONENTS OF EVM BASED ON SELECTED EV METHODS

Following is the project baseline (schedule & cost) for a house building project. The project start date is January 15th, with an expected completion date of April 1st. It is now January 31st. The project started on schedule and needs to be statused as of January 31st. Look at the following schedule and identify the activities that need to be reviewed for status.

Before we go any further a few assumptions need to be explained:

The activities will be done as sequenced. Activity cost is spent uniformly across each activity

Following are the Earned Value methods selected for following activities:

Applied Project Controls Training

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Applied Project Controls Training C A S E S T U D Y # 2

To obtain the project activity status, we met with CAMs or Project Superintendents responsible for each control account. Below are the results of these meetings:

Monthly Staus Meeting

January 31st 2011

What is the PV & EV for the following activities?

Applied Project Controls Training

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Applied Project Controls Training C A S E S T U D Y # 2

The cumulative actual cost as of January 31st is shown in the table below:

As of 1/31 AC

Foundation $15,850

Patio $7,200

Exterior Walls $6,250

Stairway $3,100

What are the SV, CV, CPI, & SPI for the above activities?

Is the project on schedule? If not, what activities are behind?

Is the project overrunning?

Is the project going to miss the project completion milestone?

Applied Project Controls Training

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Applied Project Controls Training C A S E S T U D Y # 3

FORECASTING AND ANALYZING EARNED VALUE RESULTS

You have recorded all the Earned Value data required to measure your project performance. It is now the reporting period and you need to report the status of your project to the client.

Your project manager decides to include “pending change orders” in the cost forecasts. To forecast the project cost, he assumes that future cost performance will be the same as all past cost performance.

Based on the above information, fill out the following performance report.

Applied Project Controls Training

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Applied Project Controls Training C A S E S T U D Y # 3

Assess how reasonable your project forecasts are. If the Pump Shelter Engineering Change Order is approved by client and the expended hours worked on this change is credited as

earned, what will be the impact of this change on the overall project’s performance and forecasts?