CASE STUDY 2: The Wedding This case study is a continuation of the wedding project planning and scheduling from Chapter 4. The objective is to address several questions and tasks related to the project. 1. Develop an estimated duration for each activity: In this step, estimated durations are determined for various wedding activities such as venue selection, invitation design, menu planning, decoration setup, and more. These durations should be based on prior experience, expert judgment, or industry standards to ensure realistic timeframes for each task. 2. Calculate the ES, EF, LS, LF times, and TS for each activity: Using a project start time of 0 (or January 1) and a required project completion time of 180 days (or June 30), the Early Start (ES), Early Finish (EF), Late Start (LS), Late Finish (LF) times, and Total Slack (TS) are calculated for each activity. By analyzing the sequence and dependencies of activities, the earliest and latest possible start and finish times are determined. This helps in understanding the flexibility and criticality of each activity within the project timeline. If any calculations result in a project schedule with negative Total Slack, revisions need to be made. The revisions may involve adjusting the project scope, revising the estimated durations for activities, or modifying the dependencies among activities. These revisions are necessary to arrive at an acceptable baseline schedule that ensures completion within the given timeframe of 180 days (or by June 30). The specific revisions made should be described, emphasizing how they addressed the negative Total Slack and ensured a feasible project schedule. 3. Determine the critical path and identify critical activities: The critical path, which represents the longest path in the project network, is identified in this step. It consists of activities that have zero Total Slack, indicating that any delay in these activities will directly extend the project duration. By examining the ES, EF, LS, and LF times calculated earlier, the critical path is determined. Identifying the critical activities helps in understanding which tasks must be closely monitored and managed to ensure timely project completion. 4. Produce a bar chart (Gantt chart) based on the ES and EF times: To visualize the project schedule, a bar chart, also known as a Gantt chart, is created. This chart depicts the start and end dates of each activity, based on the Early Start (ES) and Early Finish (EF) times calculated in the previous step. The Gantt chart provides a clear overview of the project timeline, the duration of each task, and the sequential or overlapping nature of activities. It serves as a valuable tool for project communication and coordination.