Task Durations and Dependencies

Bread Crumbs: Home - Proj Plan - Task Durat


A project work must be broken down into discrete tasks that can then be estimated and allocated appropriate resources. Project tasks need to be identified and their scope of effort quantified. Project tasks must also be analyzed so that all task interdependencies can be identified. This activity results in a structure called the Work Breakdown Structure or WBS.

The following tables delineate the necessary tasks that must be performed for the example Microwave Oven System Project. The first table focuses on all tasks that occur prior to the testing phase and the second table focuses on all tasks that occur as part of the testing phase. These tables estimate the duration of each task using units of work days and assigns each task a unique task ID. These tables are the work breakdown structure for the Microwave Oven System Project.


Task

Description

Duration in

Work Days

Dependent

Upon

 

 

 

 

T1

Concept document

5 days

None

T2

Project Plan

15 days

T1

T3

Project Schedule

10 days

T1

T4

Requirements Analysis

8 days

T1

T5

Requirements Definition

15 days

T1

T6

System Specification

8 days

T1

T7

Requirements Validation

10 days

T4, T5, T6

T8

Architectural Design

5 days

T7

T9

Interface Design

10 days

T7

T10

Detailed Design

9 days

T7

T11

Coding

20 days

T8, T9, T10

T12

Unit Testing

5 days

T11

T13

Integration Testing

10 days

T11, T12

T14

System Testing

15 days

T13

T15

Acceptance Testing

10 days

T14

T16

User Manual

10 days

T8, T9, T10


Task

Description

Duration in

Work Days

Dependent

Upon

T1

Individual Component Testing

5 days

None

T2

Input Processing and Monitoring Testing

5 days

T1

T3

Clock Module Testing

1 day

T1

T4

Timer Module Testing

1 day

T1

T5

Auto Cook Preset Module Testing

1 day

T1

T6

Auto Defrost Module Testing

1 day

T1

T7

Cooking Control Module Testing

2 days

T1

T8

Oven Control Module Testing

1 day

T1

T9

Timer Display Module Testing

1 day

T1

T10

Power Display Module Testing

1 day

T1

T11

Beeper Module Testing

1 day

T1

T12

Command Processing Sub-system Testing

5 days

T2 – T11

T13

Oven Control Sub-system Testing

4 days

T2 – T11

T14

Output Processing Sub-system Testing

2 days

T2 – T11

T15

Microwave Oven System Testing

15 days

T12 – T14

T16

Acceptance Testing

10 days

T15





No part of this work should be produced or used without the permission of the authors: Michael Turner and Dr. Sharon A White.