Schedule compression techniques MCQs – Software Project Management(crashing, fast tracking)
1. What is the primary goal of schedule compression in project management?
A) To reduce project costs
B) To shorten the project schedule without changing the project scope
C) To improve project quality
D) To increase the project budget
Answer: B
2. Which of the following is a common technique for schedule compression?
A) Resource leveling
B) Crashing
C) Scope expansion
D) Risk mitigation
Answer: B
3. Which schedule compression technique involves adding additional resources to critical tasks?
A) Fast Tracking
B) Crashing
C) Resource Smoothing
D) Monte Carlo Simulation
Answer: B
4. What is “fast tracking” in project management?
A) Performing activities in parallel that were originally planned to be done sequentially
B) Adding more resources to critical tasks
C) Delaying non-critical tasks
D) Increasing the project budget
Answer: A
5. Which of the following is a potential risk of fast tracking?
A) Increased project costs
B) Higher likelihood of rework
C) Extended project duration
D) Reduced project quality
Answer: B
6. When is “crashing” most effective as a schedule compression technique?
A) When additional resources are available
B) When project costs are irrelevant
C) When there is no flexibility in the project schedule
D) When the project scope is fixed
Answer: A
7. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of fast tracking?
A) Overlapping project phases
B) Performing tasks in parallel
C) Reducing the scope of the project
D) Increasing the risk of rework
Answer: C
8. Crashing a project schedule often results in which of the following?
A) Reduced project quality
B) Increased project costs
C) Decreased risk of project delays
D) Longer project duration
Answer: B
9. What is the primary difference between crashing and fast tracking?
A) Crashing increases costs, while fast tracking increases risks.
B) Crashing reduces scope, while fast tracking increases scope.
C) Crashing delays the project, while fast tracking accelerates it.
D) Crashing involves fewer resources, while fast tracking uses more resources.
Answer: A
10. Which of the following is a potential downside of using crashing as a schedule compression technique?
A) Increased project costs
B) Lower project quality
C) Resource conflicts
D) All of the above
Answer: D
11. In which project phase is schedule compression most commonly applied?
A) Initiation
B) Planning
C) Execution
D) Closing
Answer: C
12. Which of the following is a key consideration when deciding to crash a project schedule?
A) Availability of additional resources
B) Impact on project quality
C) Cost-benefit analysis
D) All of the above
Answer: D
13. What is the main advantage of fast tracking a project?
A) Reduces the overall project cost
B) Shortens the project schedule without increasing costs
C) Increases resource availability
D) Reduces project risks
Answer: B
14. Which technique is most likely to cause resource overallocation?
A) Crashing
B) Fast Tracking
C) Resource Smoothing
D) Critical Path Method (CPM)
Answer: A
15. Fast tracking is most appropriate when:
A) Tasks are independent of each other
B) Tasks can be done sequentially
C) There is no risk of rework
D) Tasks can be overlapped without significant risk
Answer: D
16. Which of the following is an outcome of fast tracking a project?
A) Increased project costs
B) Reduced project scope
C) Increased project risks
D) Reduced project duration
Answer: C
17. Which project management tool is most useful for identifying opportunities for fast tracking?
A) Gantt Chart
B) PERT Chart
C) Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
D) Resource Histogram
Answer: A
18. Which of the following is a potential impact of crashing on project stakeholders?
A) Increased satisfaction due to earlier completion
B) Frustration due to increased costs
C) Concerns over project quality
D) All of the above
Answer: D
19. Which schedule compression technique might require changes in the project contract?
A) Crashing
B) Fast Tracking
C) Resource Smoothing
D) Risk Mitigation
Answer: B
20. In project management, what does “resource crashing” typically involve?
A) Adding more resources to the critical path tasks
B) Reducing the project budget
C) Eliminating non-critical tasks
D) Delaying non-critical tasks
Answer: A
21. Which of the following is an example of fast tracking in software development?
A) Starting coding while design is still being finalized
B) Hiring additional developers to meet a deadline
C) Postponing testing to focus on development
D) Extending the project deadline
Answer: A
22. What is a critical factor in the decision to use fast tracking?
A) Task dependencies
B) Availability of additional budget
C) Flexibility in project scope
D) The experience level of the project team
Answer: A
23. Crashing is typically most useful when:
A) The project is behind schedule
B) Project costs are under budget
C) Quality is the primary concern
D) Resource availability is high
Answer: A
24. What is a key risk associated with crashing a project?
A) Increased likelihood of team burnout
B) Reduced project duration
C) Lowered project costs
D) Improved project quality
Answer: A
25. Which of the following scenarios would justify the use of fast tracking?
A) The project is ahead of schedule
B) The project must be completed earlier due to external pressure
C) There are excess resources available
D) The project budget needs to be reduced
Answer: B
26. Which of the following is a possible effect of fast tracking on project risks?
A) Decreased risks
B) Increased likelihood of conflicts and issues
C) No change in risks
D) Reduced need for contingency planning
Answer: B
27. When should crashing be avoided in a project?
A) When additional resources will not significantly reduce the project duration
B) When project costs are not a concern
C) When the project is behind schedule
D) When project stakeholders demand faster delivery
Answer: A
28. What is the main reason for using crashing as a schedule compression technique?
A) To meet a fixed deadline
B) To reduce project scope
C) To improve project quality
D) To eliminate non-critical tasks
Answer: A
29. Which of the following might be an indirect cost of crashing?
A) Increased overhead costs
B) Delays in other projects
C) Reduced employee morale
D) All of the above
Answer: D
30. Fast tracking typically involves which of the following?
A) Reducing project scope
B) Adding additional resources
C) Overlapping project activities
D) Extending project timelines
Answer: C
31. Which of the following is a potential disadvantage of fast tracking?
A) Increased project duration
B) Higher costs due to additional resources
C) Increased risk of project rework
D) Improved resource allocation
Answer: C
32. Which scenario is most likely to benefit from crashing?
A) A project with a flexible budget but a tight deadline
B) A project with limited resources and time
C) A project where quality is the most critical factor
D) A project that is ahead of schedule
Answer: A
33. What does “crashing” a project typically involve?
A) Adding more resources to critical path tasks to shorten their duration
B) Extending the project timeline
C) Eliminating non-essential tasks
D) Increasing project scope
Answer: A
34. Which of the following is an effect of fast tracking?
A) Tasks are performed in a sequential order
B) Additional resources are added to tasks
C) Tasks are performed in parallel to shorten the schedule
D) The project scope is reduced
Answer: C
35. What is the main benefit of fast tracking?
A) Reduces project duration without adding additional costs
B) Decreases project risks
C) Eliminates the need for resource allocation
D) Increases project quality
Answer: A
36. Which of the following is a key drawback of using crashing as a schedule compression technique?
A) Increased risk of project delays
B) Decreased project costs
C) Reduced project quality
D) Increased resource availability
Answer: C
37. When should fast tracking be considered in a project?
A) When tasks are independent of each other
B) When overlapping tasks does not impact quality
C) When additional resources are available
D) When the project scope needs to be expanded
Answer: B
38. Which technique is generally more expensive: Crashing or Fast Tracking?
A) Crashing
B) Fast Tracking
C) Both have the same cost
D) Neither
Answer: A
39. What is a primary concern when applying schedule compression techniques?
A) Reducing project costs
B) Managing project scope
C) Managing project quality and risks
D) Hiring additional project managers
Answer: C
40. How can schedule compression impact the critical path of a project?
A) It can shorten the critical path
B) It can lengthen the critical path
C) It has no effect on the critical path
D) It can eliminate the critical path
Answer: A