This is the most technical area of the PMQ, and the one where a precise definition wins the mark. Critical path, total float, resource smoothing versus levelling and schedule compression all have exact meanings, and the exam will punish a loose one.
What scheduling covers in the PMQ
- Network diagrams, the critical path and total / free float
- Resource smoothing (keep the end date, use float) versus levelling (respect resource limits, accept a later end date)
- Schedule compression: crashing and fast-tracking, and their trade-offs
- Estimating durations and building a realistic schedule
- Milestones, and monitoring progress against the baseline
Where candidates lose marks
Swapping smoothing and levelling. Smoothing protects the end date; levelling protects the resource limit.
Thinking crashing and fast-tracking are the same. Crashing adds resource for cost; fast-tracking overlaps activities for risk.
Believing the critical path has float. By definition it has none.
Free, timed, exam-style questions across the twelve PMQ topics — with an explanation for every answer and a per-topic breakdown at the end.
Start a free practice testScheduling questions, answered
What is the difference between resource smoothing and resource levelling?
Smoothing keeps the end date fixed and uses float to even out resource peaks. Levelling respects a hard resource limit and accepts a later end date if it has to. Smoothing protects the date; levelling protects the resource limit.
What is the critical path?
The longest sequence of dependent activities through the schedule, which sets the shortest possible project duration. Activities on it have zero float, so a delay to any of them delays the whole project.
The other eleven topics
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