ABSTRACT
The Project Time Management questions on the PMP® certification exam focus heavily on the program evaluation and review technique (PERT), the critical path method (CPM), the precedence diagramming method (PDM), and the critical chain method; the differences between these four techniques; and the appropriate circumstances for their use. The exam tests your knowledge of how PERT/CPM networks are constructed, how schedules are computed, what the critical path is, and how networks are used to analyze and solve project scheduling, and resource allocation and leveling issues. There is a good chance that you will be presented with a network diagram that will be the subject of five or more questions. Therefore, detailed knowledge of network scheduling is essential. There also seems to be a focus on fast tracking as a method to accelerate the project schedule. You must know the advantages offered by networks over bar charts and network diagrams. You also should understand the concept of float (or slack) and how it presents challenges and opportunities to project schedulers. Additionally, you may see questions about the earned value formulas relative to scheduling such as the Schedule Variance (SV) and the Schedule Control Index (SPI).
