management, information, technology | Management Information Technology | Cambridge College

System Integration Project

Application of PERT/CPM

Two international banks are integrating two financial processing software systems as a result of their merger. Preliminary analysis and interviews with all parties involved resulted in the following project information. The “systems integration team” for this project plans to define and manage this project on two levels. The following activities represent an aggregate view, and within each activity is a more detailed view with subtasks and project networks defined. All times are in weeks.

Activity           Immediate                   Time

                        Predecessors

A                         —                                 3

B                         A                                  1

C                         A                                  2

D                       B, C                               3

E                        C                                   5

F                         C                                  3

G                        E                                   7

H                       E, F                                5

I                      D, G, H                             8

As a member of the systems integration team, you have operations management

responsibilities. You have been tasked to develop a detailed project plan, to

identify alternative project completion dates, and to recommend an optimal project

deadline to top management.

You should start with a Gantt Chart that will keep top management temporarily

content, while you prepare your PERT/CPM analysis. You need an Activities Time

Requirements Table, a Critical Task and Slack Time Table, and a PERT/CPM

Network Diagram that displays the critical path. Of course, you will prepare a

report for top management with the Background of this systems project, the project

deadline Issue to be resolved, the three project deadline Alternatives, an

Analysis of the three Alternatives, and your Recommendation.

Attached to your report should be a Gantt Chart, Activities Time

Requirements Table, a Critical Task and Slack Time Table, and a PERT/CPM

Network Diagram – 4 Attachments.