Pert Example
Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education Volume 2 Number 1 Spring 2004 Printed in the U.S.A.
TEACHING BRIEF
Introducing Project Management Concepts Using a Jewelry Store Robbery
Edward D. Walker II
Department of Finance and Quantitative Analysis, College of Business Administration, Georgia Southern University, P. O. Box 8151, Statesboro, GA 30460, e-mail: edwalker@GeorgiaSouthern.edu
INTRODUCTION
This paper describes the use of a simple hands-on case in undergraduate classes to teach the concepts of a traditional PERT/CPM and Critical Chain project management techniques. A simple six-activity project is used to illustrate: the identification of project activities, development of activity time estimates, the development of the project network, the development of the PERT/CPM critical path and the probability of on-time completion using the critical path, the development of the critical chain, and the probability of on-time completion using the critical chain. The case can be readily extended to discuss the effects of activity crashing, as well as the proper placement of buffers within the critical chain network. The overall objective is simply to illustrate the development and use of the critical chain in single project management.
IDENTIFYING THE PROJECT ACTIVITIES
In this exercise, I ask the students to assume that they are interested in “knocking over” a jewelry store. (Some instructors may balk at the idea of using a robbery as an example. The concepts can be taught using a different story line for the project network—one possible project would be writing a group paper for class.) The students are divided into groups of three—representing the three would-be felons. They are told that they are to plan a cat burglary rather than simply walking into the business with weapons drawn. They should plan to do this at night because the police have a longer response time and because the night patrolman comes by every 50 minutes. The store has an
TEACHING BRIEF
Introducing Project Management Concepts Using a Jewelry Store Robbery
Edward D. Walker II
Department of Finance and Quantitative Analysis, College of Business Administration, Georgia Southern University, P. O. Box 8151, Statesboro, GA 30460, e-mail: edwalker@GeorgiaSouthern.edu
INTRODUCTION
This paper describes the use of a simple hands-on case in undergraduate classes to teach the concepts of a traditional PERT/CPM and Critical Chain project management techniques. A simple six-activity project is used to illustrate: the identification of project activities, development of activity time estimates, the development of the project network, the development of the PERT/CPM critical path and the probability of on-time completion using the critical path, the development of the critical chain, and the probability of on-time completion using the critical chain. The case can be readily extended to discuss the effects of activity crashing, as well as the proper placement of buffers within the critical chain network. The overall objective is simply to illustrate the development and use of the critical chain in single project management.
IDENTIFYING THE PROJECT ACTIVITIES
In this exercise, I ask the students to assume that they are interested in “knocking over” a jewelry store. (Some instructors may balk at the idea of using a robbery as an example. The concepts can be taught using a different story line for the project network—one possible project would be writing a group paper for class.) The students are divided into groups of three—representing the three would-be felons. They are told that they are to plan a cat burglary rather than simply walking into the business with weapons drawn. They should plan to do this at night because the police have a longer response time and because the night patrolman comes by every 50 minutes. The store has an