a. Draw a Gantt chart using MSP. b. Assume a 5-day week, find the critical path and project duration in days. c. Given that each resource is assigned 100% to each task, identify the resource constraints. d. Using the MSP default, level the resource and determine the new project duration and critical path. e. Identify what alternative solutions can be used to shorten the project duration without overallocating the resources. 3. How might using software tools to report project information lead to problems with control? 4. Review the case and answer questions that follows: BestSoft Enterprises, a leading manufacturer of electronic devices such as television and handheld computers, is currently in the process of developing its next generation device, the model 2000c. A key feature of the 2000c is its color display. According to the original project schedule, the 2000c is to be released 1 month from now. Because the amount of time required to convert the existing software to capitalize on the color display was significantly underestimated, the project has fallen behind schedule. The project manager estimates that without additional resources, the development project will be 3 months late. He has also estimated that increasing the project’s budget of $3 million by 30 percent would permit the project to be completed on schedule. The added budget would be used primarily to staff the project with additional software engineers. If released on schedule, first quarter demand for the 2000c is forecast to be 200,000 units at an initial price of $450. Demand data for similar products suggest that unit sales will increase 5 percent per quarter over the product’s 3-year life. Despite pricing pressures in the market, accounting data indicate that BestSoft is able to maintain a 20 percent contribution margin to profit and overhead through continuous process improvements and efficiencies accruing from producing in larger volumes. Question 1: What has a larger impact on BestSoft’s profits, delaying the 2000c’s introduction by 3 months or increasing the project’s budget by 30 percent? Question 2: Are there other factors you would consider in addition to profit? Question 3: What should BestSoft do? Why? Question 4: How generalizable do you think the results of your analysis in this particular case are to other situations? 5. You are preparing a project to lay fiber optic cable. The first task is to mobilize the team. You estimate this will take one week and cost $3000. The second task is to lay the cable. This will take three weeks and will cost $45,000. The total length of the cable is 15 miles. The last task, which will take one week, is to Terminate and test the cable. You budget $5000 for this. At the end of the first week, you have completed mobilization, but it cost a total of $4500. At the end of the third week, you have completed five miles of cable at a total cost of $28,000 (installation only). It takes you a total of 10 weeks to complete the entire project, for a total cost of $65,000.

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