Free Practice Questions for AACE International PSP Exam

 Activity Details (2001 - "River Diversion Stage 1"):

Successor: 2002 ("River Diversion Stage 2").

Relationship: Finish-to-Start (FS) with no lag.

Normal schedule duration for Activity 2001 = 92 days.

 Backward Pass Calculation for Late Finish (LF):

The Late Finish (LF) of Activity 2001 is derived from the Late Start (LS) of its successor, Activity 2002.

Formula: LF.2001 = LS.2002 - 1 day.

 Date Calculation:

Given: LS.2002 = 08-30-01 (as per data in the schedule).

LF.2001 = LS.2002 - 1 day = 08-30-01 - 1 day = 08-29-01.

 Cross-Verification with Answer Options:

Option A: Incorrect. Misrepresents the Late Finish formula.

Option C: Incorrect. Adds 1 day instead of subtracting.

Option D: Incorrect. Incorrect date application.

Option B: Correct. Matches both formula and calculation.

 Late Finish (LF) is calculated by adjusting the Late Start (LS) of the subsequent activity (2003) by the lag value.

 The formula, LS of 2003 - 1 day, aligns with CPM principles where the predecessor's LF must occur before the successor starts.

 The date calculation, considering lags and dependencies, results in 06 Oct 2021.

 References: PSP Study Guide, Section 2.2.4 – Relationships and Calculations, Appendix A – Sample Calculations for LF and LS relationships.

 Crashing is a technique to reduce project duration by allocating additional resources to critical path activities. The most critical factor when crashing a schedule often pertains to external constraints that could severely disrupt progress.

 Avoiding adverse weather conditions, such as the 2023-2024 winter/wet season, is paramount since such conditions can render activities impossible or highly inefficient.

 The PSP Study Guide emphasizes that constraints, such as environmental conditions, play a pivotal role in project planning and execution. Managing these constraints effectively through schedule adjustments like crashing is critical to project success.

 Financial incentives (bonus or penalties) and cost minimization, while important, typically take secondary priority when natural constraints risk derailing the project timeline entirely (PSP Guide, Section 1.2.4 – Project Variables and Constraints).

 Schedule Update Procedures:

Accurate schedule updates rely on entering actual data (start/finish dates, durations) and evaluating impacts of changes.

"Downstream" logic revisions may be needed but are less critical compared to ensuring accurate historical data and reflecting immediate changes.

 PSP Study Guide References:

Schedule updating emphasizes capturing accurate historical data and estimating remaining durations accurately​.

 Analysis of Options:

Option A and B: Key to progress tracking and forecasting.

Option D: Essential for reflecting impacts of delays and change orders.

Option C: While important, downstream logic revisions are less immediate compared to other procedures.

 Conclusion: The correct answer is C, as downstream logic revisions are less critical in achieving an accurate schedule forecast compared to other updates