Module 12 Critical Thinking Project Management

Module 12: Critical Thinking: Project Management

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Module 12: Critical Thinking: Project Management

Introduction

Project management provides a project with a clear and concise path from start to finishing while highlighting the importance of project planning. The goal of effective project management is to ensure the project outcome is achieved within the scheduled time and within budget. Project management helps in anticipating certain challenges and bottlenecks of the project and coordinates the project team, which increases the likelihood of achieving the goals of the project in an ideal manner. This paper details the project management of my kitchen renovation project. It would outline the steps taken from project initiation to completion. The objective of the project was to renovate my kitchen at a cost of not more than $20,000.

Upon the completion of the project, the kitchen, whose size was approximately 150 ft2 should have been renovated successfully and efficiently to ensure it complies with all safety regulations and standards. The kitchen should have the ability to accommodate a family of six people. The goals of the project was to stay within the budget, complete the renovation within 40 working days or 8 weeks, and use durable and energy efficiency materials, equipment, and appliance. I did not want to move out of my house during the renovation. Therefore, it was vital for the project to ensure the kitchen was safe and usable during the renovation. In the following sections, I present the work breakdown structure (WBS) of the kitchen, probabilistic and deterministic time estimates, PERT network diagram with the Critical Path (CP) identified, slack time of each activity, network diagram of the probability estimates, and hypothetical cost of each activity (Stevenson, 2018).

Work Breakdown Structure

The work breakdown structure (WBS) of the project was broken into six main tasks. These tasks are further sub-divided into sub-level tasks. WBS was used for planning and scheduling of the project since it shows the hierarchy of tasks and the deliverables of the project. WBS of the project is shown below.

Kitchen renovation project

Planning and design

Researching design styles

Development of the preliminary design

Obtain funding

Develop request for proposal (RFP)

Selecting subcontractors

Researching and reviewing subcontractors

Choosing subcontractors

Design

Create demolition plan

Develop architectural and mechanical, electrical and plumbing design

Cabinetry

Appliances

Countertops

Flooring

Lighting

Electrical

Paint

Acquisition of permits and inspections

Review and approval of all designs

Inspection

Demolition

Develop demolition plan

Acquisition of demolition equipment

Acquisition of waste container

Hiring of demolition team

Structural preparation of kitchen for demolition

Preparing construction site

Turning off utilities

Securing existing kitchen for reuse during renovation

Undertake demolition

Construction

Acquisition of materials

Estimating quantities

Issuing contracts for the materials

Mechanical

Electrical

Plumbing

Cabinetry and counters

Flooring

Installation of appliances

Testing appliances

Paint

Cleaning up

Completion of the project

Probabilistic and Deterministic Time Estimates

Equation 1, which is shown below is used to calculate the weighted average time of each activity. According to table 1 shown below, the expected project duration of the project is 30 days as shown in the critical path. Therefore, equation 2 can be used to show the probability of completing the project within 40 days.

Equation 1………………te = (a + 4m + b)/6

Where, te is the weighted average time activity

a is the optimistic time

b is the pessimistic time

m is the most likely time

Equation 2 ……………….z = (TS – TE)/( √∑????2????????)

Where, TS is the scheduled project duration

TE is the critical path

????2???? is the variability in the activity time estimates

TS is the 40 days

TE is 30 days

From the table ∑????2???????? is 1.715277778

Therefore, z = (40 – 30) / √1.715277778

= 7.635417

      Duration (in days )    

Task ID Task Name Predecessors Optimistic (a) Most likely (m) Pessimistic (b) Actual time (te) Var [(b-a)/6]2 Critical

3 Researching design styles None 2 3 4 3 0.11111111 Yes

4 Development of the preliminary design 3 1 2 3 2 0.11111111 Yes

5 Obtain funding 4 1 2 3 2 0.11111111 Yes

6 Develop request for proposal (RFP) 5 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

8 Researching and reviewing subcontractors 6 1 2 3 2 0.11111111 Yes

9 Choosing subcontractors 8 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

11 Create demolition plan 9 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

12 Develop architectural and mechanical, electrical and plumbing design 11 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

13 Cabinetry 12 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

14 Appliances 13 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

15 Countertops 14 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

16 Flooring 15 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

17 Lighting 16 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

18 Electrical 17 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

19 Paint 18 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

21 Review and approval of all designs 19 1 2 3 2 0.11111111 Yes

22 Inspection 21 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

24 Develop demolition plan 22 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

25 Acquisition of demolition equipment 24 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 No

26 Acquisition of waste container 24 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 No

27 Hiring of demolition team 24 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 No

28 Structural preparation of kitchen for demolition 24 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 No

30 Turning off utilities 24 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 No

31 Securing existing kitchen for reuse during renovation 24 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

32 Undertake demolition 31   2 1.5 1.6 0.0625 Yes

35 Estimating quantities 32   1 1.5 0.9 0.0625 No

36 Issuing contracts for the materials 32   1 1.5 0.9 0.0625 No

37 Mechanical 32,34 1 2 3 2 0.11111111 No

38 Electrical 32,34 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 No

39 Plumbing 32,34 1 2 3 2 0.11111111 No

40 Cabinetry and counters 32,34 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 No

41 Flooring 32,34 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 No

42 Installation of appliances 32,34 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 No

43 Testing appliances 42 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 No

44 Paint 32,34 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

45 Cleaning up 44 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

46 Completion of the project 45 0.5 1 1.5 1 0.02777778 Yes

30 1.71527778 Table 1: PERT of Kitchen Renovation project

PERT Network Diagram with the Critical Path (CP) Identified

Figure 1: PERT Diagram with Critical Path (CP)

The diagram only shows the critical tasks, which are highlighted in red.

Slack Time for Each ActivityThe slack for each activity is shown in the table below, which is derived from Ms Project.

Task Name Start Finish Late Start Late Finish Free Slack Total Slack

Kitchen renovation project Mon 5/4/20 Fri 6/26/20 Mon 5/4/20 Fri 6/26/20 0 days 0 days

Planning and design Mon 5/4/20 Wed 6/3/20 Mon 5/4/20 Wed 6/3/20 0 days 0 days

Researching design styles Mon 5/4/20 Wed 5/6/20 Mon 5/4/20 Thu 5/7/20 0 days 0 days

Development of the preliminary design Thu 5/7/20 Fri 5/8/20 Thu 5/7/20 Mon 5/11/20 0 days 0 days

Obtain funding Mon 5/11/20 Tue 5/12/20 Mon 5/11/20 Wed 5/13/20 0 days 0 days

Develop request for proposal (RFP) Wed 5/13/20 Wed 5/13/20 Wed 5/13/20 Thu 5/14/20 0 days 0 days

Selecting subcontractors Thu 5/14/20 Mon 5/18/20 Thu 5/14/20 Mon 5/18/20 0 days 0 days

Researching and reviewing subcontractors Thu 5/14/20 Fri 5/15/20 Thu 5/14/20 Mon 5/18/20 0 days 0 days

Choosing subcontractors Mon 5/18/20 Mon 5/18/20 Mon 5/18/20 Tue 5/19/20 0 days 0 days

Design Tue 5/19/20 Fri 5/29/20 Tue 5/19/20 Fri 5/29/20 0 days 0 days

Create demolition plan Tue 5/19/20 Tue 5/19/20 Tue 5/19/20 Wed 5/20/20 0 days 0 days

Develop architectural and mechanical, electrical and plumbing design Wed 5/20/20 Wed 5/20/20 Wed 5/20/20 Thu 5/21/20 0 days 0 days

Cabinetry Thu 5/21/20 Thu 5/21/20 Thu 5/21/20 Fri 5/22/20 0 days 0 days

Appliances Fri 5/22/20 Fri 5/22/20 Fri 5/22/20 Mon 5/25/20 0 days 0 days

Countertops Mon 5/25/20 Mon 5/25/20 Mon 5/25/20 Tue 5/26/20 0 days 0 days

Flooring Tue 5/26/20 Tue 5/26/20 Tue 5/26/20 Wed 5/27/20 0 days 0 days

Lighting Wed 5/27/20 Wed 5/27/20 Wed 5/27/20 Thu 5/28/20 0 days 0 days

Electrical Thu 5/28/20 Thu 5/28/20 Thu 5/28/20 Fri 5/29/20 0 days 0 days

Paint Fri 5/29/20 Fri 5/29/20 Fri 5/29/20 Mon 6/1/20 0 days 0 days

Acquisition of permits and inspections Mon 6/1/20 Wed 6/3/20 Mon 6/1/20 Wed 6/3/20 0 days 0 days

Review and approval of all designs Mon 6/1/20 Tue 6/2/20 Mon 6/1/20 Wed 6/3/20 0 days 0 days

Inspection Wed 6/3/20 Wed 6/3/20 Wed 6/3/20 Thu 6/4/20 0 days 0 days

Demolition Thu 6/4/20 Tue 6/9/20 Thu 6/4/20 Tue 6/9/20 0 days 0 days

Develop demolition plan Thu 6/4/20 Thu 6/4/20 Thu 6/4/20 Fri 6/5/20 0 days 0 days

Acquisition of demolition equipment Fri 6/5/20 Fri 6/5/20 Fri 6/26/20 Fri 6/26/20 15 days 15 days

Acquisition of waste container Fri 6/5/20 Fri 6/5/20 Fri 6/26/20 Fri 6/26/20 15 days 15 days

Hiring of demolition team Fri 6/5/20 Fri 6/5/20 Fri 6/26/20 Fri 6/26/20 15 days 15 days

Structural preparation of kitchen for demolition Fri 6/5/20 Fri 6/5/20 Fri 6/26/20 Fri 6/26/20 15 days 15 days

Preparing construction site Fri 6/5/20 Fri 6/5/20 Fri 6/5/20 Fri 6/5/20 0 days 0 days

Turning off utilities Fri 6/5/20 Fri 6/5/20 Fri 6/26/20 Fri 6/26/20 15 days 15 days

Securing existing kitchen for reuse during renovation Fri 6/5/20 Fri 6/5/20 Fri 6/5/20 Mon 6/8/20 0 days 0 days

Undertake demolition Mon 6/8/20 Tue 6/9/20 Mon 6/8/20 Wed 6/10/20 0 days 0 days

Construction Wed 6/10/20 Thu 6/25/20 Wed 6/10/20 Thu 6/25/20 0 days 0 days

Acquisition of materials Wed 6/10/20 Wed 6/10/20 Wed 6/10/20 Wed 6/10/20 0 days 0 days

Estimating quantities Wed 6/10/20 Wed 6/10/20 Tue 6/23/20 Wed 6/24/20 9 days 9 days

Issuing contracts for the materials Wed 6/10/20 Wed 6/10/20 Tue 6/23/20 Wed 6/24/20 9 days 9 days

Mechanical Thu 6/11/20 Fri 6/12/20 Thu 6/25/20 Fri 6/26/20 10 days 10 days

Electrical Mon 6/15/20 Mon 6/15/20 Fri 6/26/20 Fri 6/26/20 9 days 9 days

Plumbing Tue 6/16/20 Wed 6/17/20 Thu 6/25/20 Fri 6/26/20 7 days 7 days

Cabinetry and counters Thu 6/18/20 Thu 6/18/20 Fri 6/26/20 Fri 6/26/20 6 days 6 days

Flooring Fri 6/19/20 Fri 6/19/20 Fri 6/26/20 Fri 6/26/20 5 days 5 days

Installation of appliances Mon 6/22/20 Mon 6/22/20 Thu 6/25/20 Fri 6/26/20 0 days 3 days

Testing appliances Tue 6/23/20 Tue 6/23/20 Fri 6/26/20 Fri 6/26/20 3 days 3 days

Paint Wed 6/24/20 Wed 6/24/20 Wed 6/24/20 Thu 6/25/20 0 days 0 days

Cleaning up Thu 6/25/20 Thu 6/25/20 Thu 6/25/20 Fri 6/26/20 0 days 0 days

Completion of the project Fri 6/26/20 Fri 6/26/20 Fri 6/26/20 Fri 6/26/20 0 days 0 days

Table 2: Slack for each activity

Slack increases the duration of a project. It is an indication of the existence of a critical path. A significant amount of slack shows that the difference in the completion time between the scheduled project deadline and critical path is long (Nafkha & Wiliński, 2016).

Hypothetical Costs

The hypothetical costs of the project are shown in the table below.

Figure 2: Hypothetical costs of the project

References

Nafkha, R., & Wiliński, A. (2016). The critical path method in estimating project duration. Information Systems in Management, 5(1), 78-87.

Stevenson, W. (2018). Operations management (13th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin.