Part 1- Based on what you have seen in the table 7.3, draw the critical path through the network diagram for the consumer market study project (Figure 7.7) and modify the table 7.3 if the estimated duration of the Mail Questionnaire & Get Responses task is reduced from 65 days to 55 days. Note that the tasks on the critical path now have a total slack of 2, the least amount of slack in the project.

Figure Table 7.3 depicts the Total Slack for each of the activities in the consumer market study project. Those with -8 as the total slack are the activities on the critical path(Gido et. Al., 2017).

Table 7.3. Schedule for Consumer Market Study Project, Showing Total Slack Values

Source: Gido, J., Clements, J. and Baker, B. (2017). Successful Project Management, 6th Edition, Cengage Learning, ISBN: 978-1-337-09547-1, Page 161

Web-based Reporting System Project Immediate Estimated Activity Predecessors Duration (days) . Gather Data . Study Feasibility . Prepare Problem Definition Report . Interview Users . Study Existing System . Define User Requirements . Prepare System Analysis Report . Input & Output . Processing & Database . Evaluation . Prepare System Design Report . Software Development . Hardware Development . Network Development . Prepare System Development Report . Software Testing . Hardware Testing . Network Testing . Prepare Testing Report . Training . System Conversion . Prepare Implementation Report Consumer Market Study Project Earliest Estim. Latest Total Activity Respon Dur. Start Finish Start Finish Slack Identify Target Consumers Susan 3 0 3 -8 -5 -8 2 Develop Draft Questionnaire Susan 10 3 13 -5 5 -8 3 Pilot-Test Questionnaire Susan 20 13 33 5 25 -8 4 Review Comments & Finalize Questionnaire Susan 5 33 38 25 30 -8 5 Prepare Mailing Labels Steve 2 38 40 38 40 0 6 Print Questionnaire Steve 10 38 48 30 40 -8 7 Develop Data Analysis Software Andy 12 38 50 88 100 50 8 Develop Software Test Data Susan 2 38 40 98 100 60 9 Mail Questionnaire & Get Responses Steve 65 48 113 40 105 -8 10 Test Software Andy 5 50 55 100 105 50 11 Input Response Data Jim 7 113 120 105 112 -8 12 Analyze Results Jim 8 120 128 112 120 -8 13 Prepare Report Jim 10 128 138 120 130 -838 40 Prepare Mailing Labels Project Start 5 Steve 2 at 0 38 40 13 13 33 33 38 38 48 48 113 113 120 120 128 128 138 dentify Develop Pilot-Test Review Comments Print Mail Input Analyze Prepare Target Draft Questionnaire & Finalize Questionnaire Questionnaire & Response Results Report Consumers Questionnaire Questionnaire Get Responses Data Susan 3 2 Susan 10 3 Susan 20 4 Susan 5 6 Steve 10 9 Steve 65 11 Jim 12 Jim 8 13 Jim 10 -5 5 25 25 30 30 40 40 105 105 112 112 120 120 130 38 50 50 55 Required Completion = 130 Working Days Develop Test Data Analysis Software Software Andy 12 10 Andy 5 KEY: Earliest 88 100 Earliest 100 105 Start Finish 38 40 Activity Description Develop Software Activity Estimated Test Data Number Duration Latest Latest 8 Susan 2 Start Finish Person 98 100 Responsible