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 Purpose of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS):

The WBS organizes the project into manageable components, breaking it down to the smallest defined work packets or work packages.

These packages serve as the foundation for schedule and cost management.

 PSP Study Guide References:

The WBS is discussed as the primary organizational tool to define the scope, cost, and activities of a project​.

 Conclusion: The correct answer is D, as the WBS is used to organize the smallest work packages.

 Construction Life Cycle Phases:

Common phases: planning and design, installation (execution), and turnover/start-up.

Claims and disputes may arise during the project but are not a defined phase of the construction life cycle.

 PSP Study Guide References:

The study guide outlines standard phases without including claims and disputes as a formal phase​.

 Conclusion: The correct answer is A, as claims and disputes are not an inherent phase of the construction life cycle.

 As-Planned vs. As-Built (APAB) Analysis:

A simple APAB compares the planned schedule to the actual schedule to identify deviations.

It does not involve inserting delaying events or re-forecasting the schedule, which makes it unsuitable for detailed analysis.

 Limitations of APAB:

Unsuitable for complex projects (A).

Inserting delays is not part of APAB (B).

Accuracy diminishes for long projects (C) or those requiring granular mid-project analyses (D).

 Conclusion: The correct answer is B, as inserting delays into the as-planned schedule is not a feature of simple APAB analysis.

 Update Process Essentials:

Schedule updates track the current status of the project using actuals (start/finish dates), progress (percent complete), and future plans (remaining duration).

The original duration does not change and is part of baseline data, not required for routine updates.

 PSP Study Guide References:

Scheduling update procedures are discussed, emphasizing active progress tracking elements like actual start, percent complete, and remaining duration​.

 Conclusion: The correct answer is D, as original duration is not a variable considered in regular updates.

 Position Analysis:

Activity C (Develop Draft Plans and Specifications) has a duration of 5 months and is preceded by Activity A.

The diagram positions Activity C incorrectly since it starts simultaneously with Activity B, but Activity C should start after the completion of Activity A.

 Cross-Verification:

Based on the dependencies, Activity C’s incorrect positioning violates the logical sequencing rule.

 Verification with PSP Guidelines:Correct logic representation is critical for network diagrams (Ref: PSP Study Guide, Chapter 2A: Logical Sequencing).

 Estimating Activity Durations:

The critical factors are crew size, labor hours, and the standard workday.

Cost estimation is not directly required to calculate durations.

 Evaluation of Options:

Option A: Incorrect. Crew size is needed for productivity estimation.

Option B: Incorrect. Labor hours are directly tied to durations.

Option C: Incorrect. Workday hours define the available time.

Option D: Correct. Cost is not directly linked to duration

 Explanation of Critical Path:

A network can have multiple critical paths if multiple sequences of activities have zero float.

While it is common to have one critical path, having more than one is possible in complex projects.

 Evaluation of Other Options:

A: Remaining durations exceeding original durations can occur in updated schedules due to delays.

B: Constraints (e.g., finish-to-start, time constraints) can alter longest path calculations.

C: Multiple calendars influence total float when activities use different working days.

 Verification with PSP Guidelines:The PSP Study Guide mentions the possibility of multiple critical paths in large or complex schedules (Ref: PSP Study Guide, Chapter 2A: Critical Path Analysis).

To maintain the product availability date while accommodating a 15-day delay in proofing corrections, the best course of action is to expedite another activity on the critical path. The PSP Study Guide outlines methods for schedule recovery and acceleration (Section 2.3.5, "Acceleration"). Expediting the Draft Product Manual by 5 days helps redistribute the time lost, aligning subsequent tasks to achieve the original completion milestone without delaying the overall schedule.