International Project Management Association (IPMA) Practice Exam

Which aspect is crucial in determining the cost-effectiveness of crashing?

1. Reaching project milestones quickly

2. Ensuring quality control throughout

3. Calculating crashing costs for each activity

4. Stopping project activities temporarily

The correct answer is: Calculating crashing costs for each activity

The determination of cost-effectiveness in the context of crashing relies heavily on calculating the crashing costs for each activity. Crashing refers to the process of accelerating project activities to shorten the project timeline, usually by allocating additional resources. It is essential to accurately calculate the costs associated with crashing each specific activity to ensure that the overall project remains financially viable. Understanding these costs allows project managers to assess which activities can be crashed without incurring excessive expenses. This analysis enables the identification of the most cost-effective path to reduce the project duration. Each activity may have different crashing costs depending on factors like resource allocation, labor costs, and the impact on project quality. Therefore, knowing these figures helps in making informed decisions that balance time savings with budget constraints. Reaching project milestones quickly, though important, is a goal of crashing rather than a direct measurement of cost-effectiveness. Ensuring quality control is also critical in project management but does not specifically relate to the calculation of costs involved in crashing; it serves more as a larger project assurance objective. Stopping project activities temporarily might provide a strategic reprieve but does not relate directly to analyzing or ensuring cost-effectiveness in the crashing process. In summary, the focus on calculating crashing costs for each activity provides a clear view of