Certified Supplier Quality Professional (CSQP) Practice Exam

What major distinction exists between the CPM and PERT methods in project performance evaluation?

1. Only the PERT method can be displayed on a Gantt chart

2. The PERT technique allows for easier crashing of project time

3. The PERT technique is event oriented, while CPM is activity centered

4. The PERT technique permits network relationships but CPM does not

The correct answer is: The PERT technique is event oriented, while CPM is activity centered

The major distinction between the CPM (Critical Path Method) and PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) methods in project performance evaluation is that PERT is event-oriented, while CPM is activity-centered. PERT focuses on defining and sequencing events or milestones in a project, while CPM emphasizes the sequence and duration of activities to determine the critical path. This difference in approach influences how project timelines are developed and managed in the two methods. Option A is incorrect because both CPM and PERT methods can be displayed on a Gantt chart. Option B is incorrect because crashing project time, which involves reducing the overall project duration, is not specifically easier with the PERT technique compared to CPM. Option D is incorrect because both PERT and CPM allow for the representation of network relationships, but they do so in slightly different ways based on their respective focuses on events and activities.