PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) – managerial benefits Which statements describe what PERT provides to project management?
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AAn approach for keeping planning up-to-date as new information arrives
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BA uniform, logical basis that requires planning to be done explicitly
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CRapid visibility of the impact of variations from the plan
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DAll of the above
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EOnly cost control without schedule insight
Answer
Correct Answer: All of the above
Explanation
Introduction / Context:PERT is a probabilistic network technique that models uncertain activity durations using three-point estimates to forecast likely project completion times and identify schedule risks.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Activities have optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic time estimates.
- Dependencies among activities are known.
- Management wants early warning of schedule variance.
Concept / Approach:PERT computes expected activity times and variances, performs forward/backward passes, and yields a distribution for project duration. Continuous re-estimation enables rolling-wave updates.
Step-by-Step Solution:Collect three-point times for each activity.Compute expected time te = (to + 4 * tm + tp) / 6 and variance = ((tp − to) / 6)^2.Find expected project duration and identify critical path.Monitor progress; update estimates; assess variation impacts quickly.
Verification / Alternative check:Comparing forecast distributions to actual progress helps gauge realism of estimates and highlights where corrective action is needed.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:PERT provides schedule insight first; cost can be integrated but is not its sole focus, so option (e) is incorrect.
Common Pitfalls:Overconfidence in three-point estimates, ignoring resource constraints, or failing to update the network undermines PERT’s value.
Final Answer:All of the above