Some key points to keep in mind when it comes to project crashing:
1. Identify critical activities:
Before you can decide which activities to crash, you need to identify the critical path through the project. The critical path is the sequence of activities that determines the overall project duration. Any delays in critical activities will delay the completion of the project as a whole.
For example, let's say you're managing a construction project to build a new office building. The critical path might include activities like pouring the foundation, framing the building, and installing the electrical and plumbing systems.
2.Determine crash cost and time savings:
Once you've identified the critical path, you can analyze each activity to determine how much time can be saved by adding resources. This involves calculating the cost of crashing an activity and the corresponding reduction in duration.
For example, let's say you're trying to speed up the construction of the foundation for your new office building. You might find that adding an additional crew to work on the foundation can reduce the duration of the activity from 10 days to 7 days. However, this would come at an additional cost of $5,000.
3.Evaluate benefits and drawbacks:
After determining the cost and time savings associated with crashing an activity, you need to weigh the benefits against the drawbacks. Crashing an activity can reduce overall project duration and help meet important deadlines, but it can also increase costs and introduce new risks.
For example, crashing the foundation work on your construction project may help you meet an important deadline for the completion of the building. However, it may also result in lower quality work or increase the risk of accidents on the job site if workers are rushed or overworked.
4.Implement crashing plan:
If you decide to proceed with crashing an activity, you need to implement a plan to add the necessary resources and monitor progress closely to ensure that the activity is completed on time and within budget.
For example, to crash the foundation work on your construction project, you may need to hire additional workers, purchase more equipment, or increase work hours. You would need to closely monitor progress and adjust the plan as needed to ensure that the work is completed on time and within budget.
Overall, project crashing can be an effective technique for accelerating project completion, but it requires careful planning and evaluation of costs and benefits to ensure that it is implemented successfully.