Product Development. Consider the simplified set of activities in the Table below for the development of a consumer product from initiation through the market test phase. Investigate demand A 3 Develop pricing strategy B 1 Design product C 5 Conduct promotional cost analysis D A 1 Manufacture prototype models E C 6 Perform product cost analysis F E 1 Perform final pricing analysis G B,D,F 2 Conduct market test H G 8 A project has 11 activities that can be accomplished either by one person working alone or by several people working together. The activities, precedence constraints, and time estimates are given in Table below. Suppose that you have up to five people who can be assigned on any given day. A person must work full days on each activity, but the number of people working on an activity can vary from day to day. A 10 B A 8 C A 5 D B 6 E D 8 F C 7 G E,F 4 H F 2 I F 3 J H,I 3 K J,G 2 Text- ISBN: 9780134478661 Authors: SHTUB Publisher: Pearson Edition: 3RD 17

In this assignment, we are given a simplified set of activities involved in the development of a consumer product. We are also provided with information regarding the precedence constraints and time estimates for each activity. Our task is to assign people to these activities in order to complete the project efficiently.

The project consists of 11 activities, labeled A through K. Each activity has a specific time estimate associated with it, indicating the amount of time required to complete the activity. Additionally, there are precedence constraints, which indicate the order in which activities must be completed.

We are also informed that up to five people can be assigned to work on the project each day. However, each person must work full days on each activity. This means that it is not possible to split a day between multiple activities.

To find the optimal assignment of people to activities, we need to consider both the precedence constraints and the time estimates. The precedence constraints tell us which activities must be completed before others can begin. For example, activity B must be completed before activity D can begin. Thus, we need to ensure that activity B is assigned people before activity D.

In addition, we need to minimize the total time required to complete the project. This means that we should assign people to activities in a way that allows us to complete the project in the shortest amount of time possible.

To achieve this, we can use a heuristic approach called the critical path method (CPM). The CPM involves identifying the critical path, which is the sequence of activities that determines the total time required to complete the project. By focusing on the critical path, we can prioritize the activities that have the greatest impact on the project’s timeline.

To apply the CPM, we first need to construct a network diagram of the activities and their precedence constraints. This diagram will help us identify the critical path. Once the critical path is determined, we can assign people to the activities on the critical path in a way that minimizes the total time required.

In summary, this assignment requires us to assign people to activities in a product development project. We need to consider both the precedence constraints and the time estimates in order to complete the project efficiently. Applying the critical path method can help us identify the optimal assignment of people to activities and minimize the total time required to complete the project.