PSP AACE International Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP) Exam Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

An effective schedule is one that is realistic, collaborative, and accepted by key stakeholders involved in project execution.

Gaining consent and agreement ensures buy-in, facilitates implementation, and minimizes disputes (Option B)​.

Frequent updates (Option A) are essential for tracking but are insufficient without team agreement.

Contract specifications (Option C) govern compliance but do not guarantee effective field use.

Large contingencies (Option D) may reduce accountability and create inefficiencies in project management.

Collaboration and stakeholder involvement, as emphasized in the PSP Study Guide, are essential for schedule usability​.

Total float measures the flexibility in an activity’s timing within a schedule. It is defined as the amount of time an activity can be delayed without affecting the project’s overall completion date or the completion date of any of its successors.

Option A, B, and D accurately describe total float: it is calculated as the difference between early and late start/finish dates, can be positive or negative, and is associated with project completion​.

Option C describes free float, not total float, and thus is incorrect.

Definition of Data/Status Date:

The data or status date represents the point in time to which the schedule reflects actual progress.

Evaluation of Options:

Option A: Incorrect. It’s not tied to monthly updates.

Option B: Incorrect. The status date is not when the project manager submits updates.

Option C: Incorrect. It’s not just a system-calculated date.

Option D: Correct. The status date reflects the date progress is measured.

Start Date: April 1, 2002.

Duration of Activity 7001 (Normal Schedule): 48 days.

Workweek: 5-day workweek (Monday to Friday).

No holidays are mentioned in the problem.

Given Data

Step 1: Calculate Total Working DaysUsing a 5-day workweek:

Determine the number of full weeks in 48 days:48÷5=9 weeks with 3 additional workdays.48 \div 5 = 9 \, \text{weeks with 3 additional workdays.}48÷5=9weeks with 3 additional workdays.

Total work period = 9 weeks + 3 workdays = 45 weekdays.

Starting from April 1, 2002 (Monday):

Add 9 full weeks: April 1 + 9 weeks = May 31, 2002 (Friday).

Add the remaining 3 workdays:

Monday, June 3.

Tuesday, June 4.

Wednesday, June 5, 2002.

Step 2: Calculate Calendar End Date

Step 3: Validate AnswerThe finish date for Activity 7001 is June 5, 2002.

 Preventing Structural Steel Delays:

Incorporating realistic timeframes for shop drawing review and resubmittals in the baseline schedule prevents design-related delays.

 Evaluation of Other Options:

A: Adding time buffers does not address the root cause.

C: Concurrent review may create confusion and errors.

D: Switching to post-tensioned concrete is a significant design change, not a practical solution for a scheduling issue.

 Verification with PSP Guidelines:Adequate review time aligns with PSP scheduling best practices (Ref: PSP Study Guide, Chapter 2B: Schedule Development and Baseline Creation).

Analyze the Relationship Details:The table shows that Activity 3001 ("Excavation, Dam Site") and Activity 4001 ("Excavation, Spillway") have a Start-to-Start (SS) relationship with a lag of 15 days. A Start-to-Start relationship indicates that the successor activity (4001) can only start after a specified lag period once the predecessor activity (3001) begins.

Understand the Concept of Lag:In scheduling terminology, lag refers to a delay or waiting period between the start (or finish) of one activity and the start (or finish) of a dependent activity. Here, the 15-day lag means that Activity 4001 will commence 15 days after Activity 3001 has started.

Interpret the Relationship:The SS relationship combined with a lag indicates that the two activities (3001 and 4001) are not starting exactly at the same time but are still overlapping or concurrent. This concurrency happens after the lag period elapses.

Verify PSP Study Guide and Relevant Terminology:According to AACE International’s Recommended Practices and the PSP Certification Study Guide:

Start-to-Start relationships are widely used to model overlapping work in schedules where one activity can start before its predecessor is fully complete (PSP Study Guide, Chapter on Scheduling Relationships and Constraints).

Lags provide flexibility to model realistic conditions where tasks start partially overlapping or with delays (PSP Study Guide, Section 2.2.4 Relationships).

Cross-Check the Answer Options:

Option A (Correct): Matches the described logic – "These activities are concurrent with Activity 4001 starting 15 days after the start of Activity 3001."

Option B: Incorrect – Lag is applied to the successor activity, meaning 4001 cannot start earlier than 3001.

Option C: Incorrect – This relationship (SS with a lag) indicates concurrency, not series.

Option D: Incorrect – Though concurrent, the lag makes the start times offset by 15 days, so they do not start at the same time.

References:

PSP Study Guide (2019), Chapter 2A – Schedule Development, Section 2.2.4 – Relationships.

AACE International Recommended Practices, RP 10S-90, "Cost Engineering Terminology."

Total Cost Management Framework, Concepts of Activity Relationships and Scheduling Dependencies.

Understanding As-Built Critical Path Analysis:

Determining the as-built critical path of a project involves identifying the sequence of activities that actually dictated the completion of the project. This is especially important in projects that are underway, as schedules often deviate from the original baseline due to progress updates and unplanned changes​​.

Explanation of Each Option:

A. Use the progressed portion of the critical path of all the updates previous to the current update:This is correct. To determine the most likely as-built critical path, analyzing the progressed portion of the critical path from all previous updates provides the most accurate representation of the project’s actual execution. By reviewing the progression over time, you can piece together the actual sequence of critical activities​​.

B. Use the progressed portion of the critical path of the baseline schedule:This is incorrect. The baseline schedule reflects the original plan, which may no longer be accurate due to progress deviations, delays, or changes in logic. Using the baseline alone does not account for the dynamic nature of the project​.

C. Interview the project personnel for their perceptions and opinions because the schedule is usually inadequate:This is incorrect. While project personnel may provide insights, relying solely on subjective opinions introduces biases and inconsistencies. A properly maintained and updated schedule is far more reliable for determining the critical path​.

D. Use the forward-looking critical path of the most current updates:This is incorrect. The forward-looking critical path only reflects what is expected to happen from the current point onward. It does not provide an accurate representation of the as-built critical path up to the current point​.

 Study Guide References:

The PSP Study Guide emphasizes the importance of analyzing progress updates to trace the actual sequence of critical activities. Section 2.3.2 (Tracking Schedule Progress) discusses the role of historical updates in understanding project performance​.

The guide also highlights that a proper as-built analysis requires a review of all updates to identify shifts in the critical path over time​.

The sum of all budgets for work scheduled to be accomplished within a specific time period is referred to as the Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (BCWS). It represents the planned value of work to be performed during the reporting period.

Option A (Estimate at Completion - EAC) refers to the projected final cost of the project.

Option B (Budget at Completion - BAC) is the total project budget.

Option C (Budgeted Cost of Work Performed - BCWP) refers to the earned value.

This definition aligns with earned value management concepts covered in the PSP Study Guide​.

Activity Overview and Dependencies:

From the provided schedule data, Activity 3001 (Excavation, Dam Site) starts with multiple logical relationships:

Successor activities include SS (Start-to-Start) and FS (Finish-to-Start) dependencies with other tasks.

Specifically, these relationships link 3001 to 4001 (Excavation, Spillway) and 5001 (Drill and Grout, Dam Site).

Normal Schedule Context:

Excluding Activity 1000, we focus on Activity 3001's logical relationships to determine which activities are concurrent.

In the "Normal Schedule", Activity 3001 has a duration of 152 days and overlaps with Activities 4001 (152 days) and 5001 (102 days). Both activities share similar dependencies and durations with Activity 3001, making them concurrent.

Schedule Dependency Analysis:

Concurrent activities are identified by overlapping durations and logical relationships that align their schedules.

Activity 4001 is linked via SS and FF dependencies, ensuring simultaneous start and finish points.

Activity 5001 starts as 3001 progresses (SS and FS dependencies).

Final Answer Validation:

Other listed activities, such as 2003 and 7001 (Answer A) or 2004 (Answer B), are not logically or temporally concurrent based on their dependencies and durations.

Only 4001 and 5001 have concurrent schedules aligning with Activity 3001.

Study Guide Reference:

Planning and Scheduling Professional Certification Study Guide, Chapter 2 – Scheduling, sections on "Dependencies and Constraints" (p. 157) and "Sequencing Activities" (p. 151).

For further insights into identifying concurrency using logical relationships, refer to AACE's Recommended Practice 10S-90: Cost Engineering Terminology.

This structured approach ensures alignment with PSP standards and principles in evaluating concurrent activities in complex schedules.

 Late Start Formula:

Late Start (LS) is calculated as LF−DurationLF - \text{Duration}LF−Duration.

For Activity 11001: LF−25=16Jan2024LF - 25 = 16 Jan 2024LF−25=16Jan2024.

 Cross-Verification with PSP Guidelines:This formula aligns with the PSP methodology for backward pass calculations, where late start is directly computed from late finish and duration values (Ref: PSP Study Guide, Chapter 2A: Schedule Analysis).

 Calculation of Maximum Lifts Per Crane Per Day:

A single crane performs 30 lifts per day.

 Number of Cranes and Days:

3 cranes working for 5 days = 3×30×53 \times 30 \times 53×30×5.

 Total Lifts:

Total lifts = 450450450.

 Verification with PSP Guidelines:Efficient resource calculation is critical in equipment planning (Ref: PSP Study Guide, Chapter 2A: Resource Allocation and Optimization).

 Activity 2002 in the Crashed Schedule:

Activity 2002 duration in the crashed schedule is 28 days.

Start Date: 12 August 2021.

Finish Date = Start Date + Duration (excluding non-working days).

 Calculation:

12 August + 28 days = 09 September 2021 (excluding weekends or non-working days based on typical calendars).

 Verification with PSP Guidelines:Accurate calculation of start and finish dates aligns with scheduling best practices (Ref: PSP Study Guide, Chapter 2A: Schedule Development).

 Situation Analysis:

Proofing of the product manual requires 15 additional days.

This impacts the Print Product Manual (Activity F), which is a critical path activity.

 Maintaining the Availability Date:

To prevent delays in the product release (Activity H), the additional 15 days for proofing must be offset.

Reducing the printing duration (Activity F) by 5 days ensures the schedule stays on track.

Expediting other activities like manufacturing or packaging would not directly compensate for the proofing delay.

 Cross-Verification:

Option A: Incorrect. Delaying product release impacts availability.

Option B: Incorrect. Packaging is not a direct predecessor of the product release.

Option D: Incorrect. Delaying manufacturing has no impact on proofing.

Option C: Correct. Expedites the critical path by compensating for the delay.

Estimate to Complete (ETC) is the forecast of additional costs required to complete the remaining project work.

Option B refers to actual costs incurred (AC).

Option C refers to Estimate at Completion (EAC), which includes both actual costs and ETC.

Option D refers to Budgeted Cost of Work Performed (BCWP).

ETC is a critical concept for forecasting and project control as described in the PSP Study Guide​​.

 Early Start Constraint:

An early start constraint specifies the earliest date on which an activity can begin, aligning with project constraints or milestones.

It is a planning input and does not dictate actual or remaining durations.

 PSP Study Guide References:

Scheduling constraints, including early start, are critical for establishing realistic schedules and milestones​.

 Conclusion: The correct answer is C, as an early start constraint refers to the planned start date of an activity.

The time an activity can be delayed from its early start without impacting the overall project completion date is called total float.

Option A (negative float) refers to delays beyond permissible limits.

Option B (free float) refers to delays without affecting the early start of any successor.

Option D (interfering float) is a lesser-used term denoting the time available without delaying the project completion but affecting a successor’s float​.

Defining the execution plan is the foundational step in creating a CPM schedule. This involves understanding the project's scope of work and outlining how it will be executed to meet project objectives.

Option A (bar chart) is a visualization step but does not address planning the sequence or scope execution.

Option C (resources) comes later in schedule development after the scope and plan are defined.

Option D (logic diagram) is a subsequent step that relies on the execution plan​​.

The PSP Study Guide emphasizes scope and execution planning as critical first steps​.