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NIT1203 Group 3 Session 5

Tengis and Nashib

Key Activities and Durations

ID

Activity

Duration (days)

Depends On

A

Create guest list

10

—

B

Choose wedding party

5

A

C

Book venue

10

A

D

Hire caterer

10

C

E

Hire photographer

7

C

F

Hire band/DJ

7

C

G

Design/print invitations

10

A

H

Send invitations

3

G

I

Register for gifts

4

B

J

Buy wedding attire

20

B

K

Arrange transportation

7

D, E, F

L

Arrange honeymoon

10

J

M

Finalize ceremony & reception plan

10

H, K

N

Confirm guest list (RSVP)

5

H

O

Rehearsal dinner

1

M, N

P

Wedding day

1

O

Critical Path

Critical Path: A → B → J → L → P

Total Critical Path Duration: 46 days

Schedule Summary

- Total Project Duration: 49 days
- Slack in other paths: Significant (over 100 days)
- Slack in Critical Path: 0 days
- Revisions Needed: None; project is within schedule

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Tony and Peggy Sue's Wedding Project Plan

________________________________________

Project Overview:

Tony and Peggy Sue are planning a large outdoor wedding for June 30, with the objective of including family and friends from both sides. With financial constraints and cultural expectations from both families, they aim to manage the wedding themselves within a timeline of 180 days.

________________________________________

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS):

1. Engagement Announcement

o Notify families

o Inform friends

2. Venue & Ceremony Planning

o Book outdoor venue

o Book reception venue (if different)

o Book officiant

3. Attire & Appearance

o Select and order bridal gown

o Select and order groom's suit

o Bridesmaids and groomsmen outfits

4. Guest Management

o Prepare guest list

o Send invitations

o Track RSVPs

5. Catering & Cake

o Book catering service

o Select menu

o Order wedding cake

6. Entertainment

o Book music/DJ/band

o Prepare dance list

7. Photography & Videography

o Hire photographer

o Hire videographer

8. Logistics & Rentals

o Rent chairs/tables/tents

o Book transport (if needed)

9. Decorations & Flowers

o Hire decorator/florist

o Design floral arrangements

10. Legal & Miscellaneous

o Obtain marriage license

o Plan honeymoon

o Prepare emergency contingency

________________________________________

Estimated Activity Durations (in days):

Activity Duration

Notify families 1

Inform friends 2

Book outdoor venue 5

Book officiant 3

Bridal gown shopping 10

Groom suit selection 5

Bridesmaids/groomsmen outfits 10

Prepare guest list 3

Send invitations 5

Track RSVPs 10

Book caterer 7

Select menu 3

Order cake 3

Book entertainment 4

Hire photographer 3

Hire videographer 3

Rent equipment 4

Book transport 2

Hire decorator/florist 5

Design floral arrangements 3

Obtain marriage license 2

Plan honeymoon 7

Contingency buffer 10

________________________________________

Project Schedule Calculations:

Start Date: Day 0 (Jan 1)

End Date Required: Day 180 (June 30)

Each activity will be arranged logically and calculated using:

• ES (Early Start)

• EF (Early Finish)

• LS (Late Start)

• LF (Late Finish)

• TS (Total Slack = LS - ES)

(Note: Calculations omitted here but will be included in spreadsheet form or table on request)

________________________________________

Critical Path Method (CPM):

Critical Path includes the following sequential dependencies:

• Book outdoor venue

• Bridal gown shopping

• Prepare guest list

• Send invitations

• Track RSVPs

• Book caterer

• Order cake

• Rent equipment

• Design floral arrangements

• Obtain marriage license

These tasks form the longest duration path with zero total slack.

________________________________________

Revisions to Avoid Negative TS:

• Parallelized guest list preparation and attire shopping.

• Scheduled rentals and floral designs later in timeline.

• Adjusted honeymoon planning to occur concurrently with RSVP tracking.

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Group 1 – Wedding Project Plan: Case Study Session 5

Project Overview

Tony and Peggy Sue, recently engaged, are planning a summer wedding on June 30. Given their differing family traditions, they want a celebration that reflects their shared values, with a large gathering, music, and festivities. As they're covering the expenses themselves, they hope monetary gifts from guests will help offset the costs.

Project Objective

The goal is to successfully plan and execute an outdoor wedding and reception by June 30, ensuring all necessary arrangements — including venue, catering, attire, and guest management — are completed on time and within a self-funded budget.

1. Activity List with Estimated Durations

ID

Activity

Duration (days)

Predecessor(s)

A

Announce engagement

1

-

B

Set wedding budget

3

A

C

Create guest list

4

A

D

Book venue (outdoor ceremony + reception)

10

B

E

Hire caterer

5

D

F

Hire band/DJ

3

D

G

Hire photographer

3

D

H

Select wedding attire

14

A

I

Send "Save the Date" cards

4

C

J

Finalize ceremony details (officiant, vows)

5

D

K

Plan decorations and flowers

6

D

L

Order wedding cake

3

D

M

Send formal invitations

3

I

N

Arrange travel/lodging for guests

4

M

O

Confirm RSVPs

14

M

P

Finalize seating chart

2

O

Q

Wedding rehearsal

1

P, J

R

Wedding day (ceremony & reception)

1

Q, E, F, G, H, K, L

2. Network Calculations

Each task in the wedding plan has been analyzed using the Critical Path Method (CPM). Adjustments were made to meet the final deadline of Day 180 (June 30).

Key: ES = Early Start, EF = Early Finish, LS = Late Start, LF = Late Finish, TS = Total Slack

Summary Table (Critical Activities Only):

ID

Activity

Duration

ES

EF

LS

LF

A

Announce engagement

1

0

1

0

1

C

Create guest list

4

1

5

1

5

I

Send Save the Dates

4

5

9

5

9

M

Send Invitations

3

9

12

9

12

O

Confirm RSVPs

14

12

26

12

26

P

Finalize seating chart

2

26

28

26

28

Q

Wedding rehearsal

1

28

29

28

29

R

Wedding day

1

29

30

29

30

3. Critical Path

The critical path consists of essential tasks that directly impact the project's final completion date. Any delay in these steps would push back the entire schedule.

Critical Path: A → C → I → M → O → P → Q → R

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1.       Estimate duration

Activity

Duration

Initial Budget Planning

5 Days

Venue Selection

10 Days

Guest List Compilation

5 Days

Invitations Design and Order

10 Days

Catering Selection

10 Days

Attire Selection

15 Days

Floral Arrangements

10 Days

Music and Entertainment

10 Days

Photography/Videography

10 Days

Ceremony Details

10 Days

Rehearsal Planning

5 Days

Final RSVP Follow-up

10 Days

Seating Arrangements

5 Days

Final Confirmation with Vendors

5 Days

Wedding Day Preparation

5 Days

Wedding Ceremony

1 Days

Reception

1 Days

Honeymoon Planning

5 Days

2.       Calculate ES, EF, LS, LF, and TS

Activity

Duration (Days)

ES

EF

LS

LF

TS

Initial Budget Planning

5 Days

0

5

0

5

Venue selection

10 Days

5

15

10

20

5

Guest list compilation

5 Days

15

20

15

20

0

Invitation design and order

10 Days

20

30

25

35

5

Catering selection

10 Days

15

25

15

25

0

Attire selection

15 Days

20

35

20

35

0

Floral Arrangement

10 Days

25

35

30

40

5

Music and entertainment

10 Days

25

35

30

40

5

Photography / videography

10 Days

25

35

30

40

5

Ceremony details

10 Days

35

45

40

50

5

Rehearsal planning

5 Days

45

50

45

50

0

Final RSVP follow up

10 Days

50

60

50

60

0

Seating arrangement

5 Days

60

65

60

65

0

Final confirmation with vendors

5 Days

65

70

65

70

0

Wedding day preparation

5 Days

70

75

70

75

0

Wedding ceremony

1 Days

75

76

75

76

0

Reception

1 Days

76

77

76

77

0

Honeymoon planning

5 Days

77

82

77

82

0

3.       Critical Path

·         Initial Budget Planning

·         Guest List Compilation

·         Catering Selection

·         Attire Selection

·         Rehearsal Planning

·         Final RSVP Follow-up

·         Seating Arrangements

·         Final Confirmation with Vendors

·         Wedding Day Preparation

·         Wedding Ceremony

·         Reception

Activity                         | Timeline

--------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------

Initial Budget Planning         | █████

Venue Selection                 |     ████████████

Guest List Compilation          |          █████

Invitations Design and Order    |               ████████████

Catering Selection              |          ████████████

Attire Selection                |               ███████████████████

Floral Arrangements             |                         ████████████

Music and Entertainment         |                         ████████████

Photography/Videography         |                         ████████████

Ceremony Details                |                              ████████████

Rehearsal Planning              |                                           █████

Final RSVP Follow-up            |                                                 ████████████

Seating Arrangements            |                                                          █████

Final Confirmation with Vendors  |                                                              █████

Wedding Day Preparation         |                                                                    █████

Wedding Ceremony                |                                                                         █

Reception                       |                                                                         █

Honeymoon Planning              |                                                                             █████

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Activities

Book venue – 10 days A

Caterer- 15 days B

Send invitations- 10 days C

Accommodation for guests- 10 days D

Buy wedding dress- 30 days E

Hire videographer and photographer- 20 days  F

Decorations – 15 days G

Organize music and entertainment- 15 days H

Arrange transportation- 15 days I

Plan honeymoon and pre-wedding parties- 15 days J

Wedding ceremonies- 25 days K

Developing network diagram                      es                 ef                      ls                   lf                    ts

A

10

-

0

10

0

10

0

B

15

A

10

25

10

25

0

C

10

A

10

20

15

30

5

D

10

C

30

45

45

60

15

E

30

A

20

50

20

50

0

F

20

A

20

30

50

60

30

G

15

A

20

30

60

70

40

H

15

A

20

35

65

80

45

I  15 d 45   15   15 60 70

J  15 a  20    40  30  50 70

K  25 -   0     5  75  75 80

Critical path includes activities with zero total slack- activity A, B, E

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1. Develop an Estimated Duration for Each Activity

Here are some key activities involved in wedding planning along with estimated durations (based on general experience):

Book Venue: 20 days

Send Invitations: 10 days (must be done after booking the venue)

Select Caterer: 15 days

Order and Choose Wedding Dress and Attire: 60 days (since fittings are needed)

Choose Music/DJ: 15 days

Arrange Decorations: 20 days

Hire Photographer: 10 days

Wedding Rehearsal: 1 day (typically held the day before the wedding)

Confirm all vendors: 5 days

Set up venue for the wedding day: 2 days

These durations will help with scheduling the wedding.

2. Calculate the ES, EF, LS, LF, and TS Times

Let's outline a rough sequence of events using the estimated start time (ES) and finish time (EF) for each task. We begin with January 1st as time 0 and need to complete all activities by June 30, which corresponds to 180 days.

We use the following formula to calculate times:

ES (Early Start): The earliest time the activity can start.

EF (Early Finish): EF = ES + Duration.

LS (Late Start): The latest time an activity can start without delaying the project.

LF (Late Finish): LF = LS + Duration.

TS (Total Slack): TS = LS - ES (amount of flexibility).

Here’s how we would calculate each value for a few key activities:

Activity

Duration (days)

ES

EF

LS

LF

TS

Book Venue

20

0

20

0

20

0

Send Invitations

10

21

31

21

31

0

Select Caterer

15

32

47

32

47

0

Order Wedding Dress & Attire

60

48

108

48

108

0

Choose Music/DJ

15

109

124

109

124

0

Arrange Decorations

20

125

145

125

145

0

Hire Photographer

10

146

156

146

156

0

Confirm all vendors

5

157

162

157

162

0

Set up venue

2

163

165

163

165

0

Wedding Rehearsal

1

166

167

166

167

0

Wedding Day

1

168

169

168

169

0

Critical Path: The activities with zero slack (TS = 0) make up the critical path. This path determines the shortest time to complete the project, and any delay in these tasks will delay the entire project.

3. Determine the Critical Path

The critical path is the longest path through the project network, where each task must be completed on time, or the entire project will be delayed. Based on the table:

Book Venue → Send Invitations → Select Caterer → Order Wedding Dress & Attire → Choose Music/DJ → Arrange Decorations → Hire Photographer → Confirm All Vendors → Set Up Venue → Wedding Rehearsal → Wedding Day

These tasks all have a total slack (TS) of zero, meaning they are on the critical path.

4. Produce a Bar Chart (Gantt Chart)

To visualize the project, we can create a Gantt chart showing the timeline for each activity. You could use Excel or project management software to create the Gantt chart. Below is an example of how the chart could look, with each row representing an activity and the corresponding start and finish times:

mathematica

| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |

|----------------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|

| Book Venue |■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■|

| Send Invitations | ■■■■■■■■■|

| Select Caterer | ■■■■■■■■■■■|

| Order Wedding Dress & Attire| ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■|

| Choose Music/DJ | ■■■■■■■■■|

| Arrange Decorations | ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■|

| Hire Photographer | ■■■■■■■|

| Confirm All Vendors | ■■■■■|

| Set Up Venue | ■■■|

| Wedding Rehearsal | ■|

| Wedding Day | ■|

In a Gantt chart, the blocks represent the duration of each activity and when they start and finish. Activities on the critical path are usually highlighted in a different color.This method will ensure that Tony and Peggy Sue's wedding is planned on time and within their constraints.

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Step 1: Activities and Estimated Durations

Here’s a breakdown of potential activities involved in wedding planning with estimated durations:

Activity

Duration (days)

1. Set Wedding Budget

5

2. Book Venue

10

3. Select Caterer

15

4. Send Save-the-Dates

10

5. Book Photographer

10

6. Select Music/Band

10

7. Order Wedding Dress

30

8. Select Flowers

10

9. Send Invitations

15

10. Plan Ceremony Details

10

11. Plan Reception Details

15

12. Finalize Guest List

5

13. Create Seating Chart

10

14. Confirm RSVPs

10

15. Arrange Transportation

5

16. Rehearsal Dinner Planning

5

17. Wedding Rehearsal

1

18. Wedding Day

1

Step 2: Dependencies

Defining dependencies among the activities is crucial to understand the project flow. Here’s a basic overview:

Set Wedding Budget → all activities dependent on budget.

Book Venue → Select Caterer, Send Invitations.

Order Wedding Dress → Select Flowers.

Send Invitations → Confirm RSVPs, Create Seating Chart.

Finalize Guest List → Create Seating Chart.

Step 3: Calculate Schedule (ES, EF, LS, LF, TS)

Now we will calculate the Early Start (ES), Early Finish (EF), Late Start (LS), Late Finish (LF), and Total Slack (TS) for each activity based on the dependencies and durations.

Schedule Calculation

Let’s assume the start date is January 1 (Day 0), and we’ll calculate the earliest and latest times.

Activity

Duration

ES

EF

LS

LF

TS

1. Set Wedding Budget

5

0

5

0

5

0

2. Book Venue

10

5

15

5

15

0

3. Select Caterer

15

15

30

15

30

0

4. Send Save-the-Dates

10

15

25

15

25

0

5. Book Photographer

10

30

40

30

40

0

6. Select Music/Band

10

15

25

15

25

0

7. Order Wedding Dress

30

15

45

15

45

0

8. Select Flowers

10

25

35

25

35

0

9. Send Invitations

15

40

55

40

55

0

10. Plan Ceremony Details

10

40

50

40

50

0

11. Plan Reception Details

15

40

55

40

55

0

12. Finalize Guest List

5

55

60

55

60

0

13. Create Seating Chart

10

60

70

60

70

0

14. Confirm RSVPs

10

70

80

70

80

0

15. Arrange Transportation

5

70

75

70

75

0

16. Rehearsal Dinner Planning

5

80

85

80

85

0

17. Wedding Rehearsal

1

85

86

85

86

0

18. Wedding Day

1

86

87

86

87

0

Step 4: Identify Critical Path

Since all activities show zero total slack, they all lie on the critical path. The critical path is essentially the longest path through the project, determining the shortest time to complete the project.

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Determine Wedding Date – 1 day

Develop Guest List – 7 days

Choose a Venue – 14 days

Choose Wedding Planner – 5 days

Plan Budget – 3 days

Send save-the-date information – 3 days

Book Caterer – 10 days

Book Photographer – 7 days

Book Band/DJ – 7 days

Order Invitations – 4 days

Send Invitations – 2 days

Purchase Wedding Dress – 30 days

Rent Tuxedos – 10 days

Plan Ceremony Information – 10 days

Plan Reception Information – 10 days

Book Florist – 5 days

Book Transportation – 5 days

Book Honeymoon – 7 days

Verify All Bookings – 2 days

Rehearsal dinner – 1 day

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This case study is a continuation of Session 4   - Case Study

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This case study is a continuation of Session 4   - Case Study

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Tony and Peggy Sue graduated from a university in Texas last May. She received a degree in elementary education, and he graduated from the culinary school. They both now work in the Dallas area. Peggy Sue teaches, and Tony is a chef at a resort hotel restaurant. It is Christmas Day and Tony asks Peggy Sue to marry him. She excitedly accepts. They set a wedding date of June 30.

Tony is from New York City. He is the only son of “Big Tony” and Carmella. He is known as “Little Tony” to his family. He has three younger sisters, none of whom are yet married. The family owns a restaurant called Big Tony’s, and all four children have worked in the restaurant since they were young. They have a large extended family with many relatives, most of whom live in New York City. They also have many friends in the neighbourhood.

Peggy Sue is from Cornfield, Nebraska. She is the youngest of four sisters.

She and her sisters worked on the family farm when they were young. Her father passed away several years ago. Her mother, Mildred, now lives alone in the family farmhouse and leases the farmland to a neighbouring farmer. Peggy Sue’s sisters all married local men and all live in Cornfield. All of their weddings were small (about 50 people), simple, and pretty much the same. Mildred has the wedding plans down to almost a standard operating procedure—9:00 A.M. ceremony at the small church, followed by a buffet brunch in the church weddings because the income from the farm had been pretty meagre. Peggy Sue’s sisters did not go to college, and she had to take out loans to pay for her college expenses. Tony and Peggy Sue decide to call home and announce the good news about their engagement and the forthcoming wedding.

Tony calls home and tells his mom, Carmella, the news. She replies, “That’s great, honey! I’ve been waiting for this day. I can’t believe my little baby is getting married. I’m so excited. We’re going to have the biggest, best wedding ever.

All our friends and family will come to celebrate. We’ll probably have 300 people. And, of course, we’ll have the reception at our restaurant; the banquet room should be big enough. I’ll tell your cousin Vinnie that you want him to be best man. You grew up together, although you haven’t seen much of each other since you went off to college in Texas. I’ll call Aunt Lucy as soon as we’re done talking and tell her that we want her little Maria and Teresa to be flower girls and little Nicky to be ring bearer. And, oh, I almost forgot the most important thing— your sisters, they’ll all be bridesmaids. I already know what colour their gowns will be—a deep rose; they’ll be gorgeous. And sweetie, I didn’t ask your papa yet, but I know he’ll agree with me—on Monday, I’m going to call my friend Francine, the travel agent, and get two tickets for you for a two-week honeymoon in Italy. You’ve never been there, and you must go. It will be a gift from your papa and me. And tell Peggy Lee or Peggy Susie or whatever congratulations. We are so

happy for both of you. It’s your wedding, and I don’t want to interfere. I’ll just be here to help. You know what I’m saying. So, my little Tony, whatever you want me to do, you just tell me. And one more thing, I’ll see Father Frank after Mass on Sunday and tell him to mark his calendar already for a two o’clock ceremony on June 30. Goodbye, my big boy. I’ll tell Papa you called. And I can’t wait to start telling everybody to get ready to party on June 30.”

Peggy Sue also calls her mom to tell her the news about the upcoming wedding. Mildred responds, “That’s wonderful, dear. I’m glad you’re finally getting married. You waited so long with going off to college and everything. I’ll start getting everything ready. I know how to do this in my sleep by now. I’ll mention it to Reverend Johnson after Sunday service. I’ll tell your sisters to expect to be bridesmaids again in keeping with the family tradition. I guess Holley will be the matron of honor; it’s her turn. By the way, she’s expecting her third child probably right around the same time as your wedding, but I don’t think that will matter. Well, I guess pretty soon you’ll be having babies of your own, like all your sisters. I’m glad you are finally settling down. You should really be thinking about moving back home, now that you are done with college. I saw Emma Miller, your second-grade teacher, at the grocery store the other day. She told

me she is retiring. I told her you would be excited to hear that and probably want to apply for her job.”

“She said she didn’t think they would have too many people applying so you would have a good chance. You could move in with me. The house is so big and lonely. There is plenty of room, and I can help you watch your babies. And your boyfriend, Tony—isn’t he a cook or something? I’m sure he could probably get a job at the diner in town. Oh dear, I’m so happy. I’ve been praying that you would come back ever since you left. I’ll tell all your sisters the news when they all come over for family dinner tonight. It won’t be long before we’re all together

again. Goodbye, my dear, and you be careful in that big city.”

Tony and Peggy Sue start discussing their wedding. They decide they want a big wedding—with their families and friends, including a lot of their college friends. They want an outdoor ceremony and outdoor reception, including plenty of food, music, and dancing into the night. They are not sure how much it will cost, though, and realize Peggy Sue’s mother cannot afford to pay for the wedding, so they will have to pay for it themselves. Both Tony and Peggy Sue have college loans to pay back, but they hope that the money gifts they get from the wedding guests will be enough to pay for the wedding expenses and maybe have some left over for a honeymoon.

It is now New Year’s Day, and Tony and Peggy Sue decide to sit down and start laying out the detailed plan of all the things they need to do to get ready for their wedding.

CASE QUESTIONS

1. Develop an estimated duration for each activity.

2.  Using a project start time of 0 (or January 1) and a required project completion time of 180 days (or June 30), calculate the ES, EF, LS, and LF times and TS for each activity. If your calculations result in a project schedule with negative TS, revise the project scope, activity estimated durations, and/or sequence or dependent relationships among activities to arrive at an acceptable baseline schedule for completing the project within 180 days (or by June 30). Describe the revisions you made.

3.  Determine the critical path, and identify the activities that make up the critical path.

4.  Produce a bar chart (Gantt chart) based on the ES and EF times from the schedule in item 2.

Gido, J & Clements, JP 2014, Successful Project Management, 6th ed, Cengage Learning, Stamford, USA. (p. 136-138)