The most technical PFQ area, where a precise definition wins the mark. Critical path, resource smoothing and levelling all have exact meanings the exam will test.
What scheduling covers in the PFQ
- Network diagrams and the critical path
- Resource smoothing versus resource levelling
- Estimating durations and building a schedule
- Milestones and monitoring progress against the baseline
- The idea of float
Where candidates lose marks
Swapping smoothing and levelling — smoothing protects the end date, levelling protects the resource limit.
Believing the critical path has float — by definition it has none.
Confusing a milestone (a point) with an activity (has duration).
Free, timed, exam-style questions across all ten PFQ topics — with an explanation for every answer and a per-topic breakdown.
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 needed. 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 nine topics
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