Definition of Project Crashing:
Project crashing is a schedule compression technique used in project management to reduce the project completion time without changing its scope.
It involves adding extra resources (labor, equipment, budget) to critical path activities to complete them faster.
Key Aspects of Project Crashing:
Reduces project duration by increasing resources.
Leads to higher costs due to additional labor or expedited material procurement.
Used when project deadlines must be met and standard scheduling techniques are insufficient.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect:
A. It leads to an increase in risk and often results in rework:
While crashing can increase costs and risk, it does not necessarily result in rework unless poorly executed.
B. It is an optimization technique where activities are performed in parallel rather than sequentially:
This describes fast-tracking, not crashing. Fast-tracking involves overlapping tasks, while crashing adds resources to speed up tasks.
C. It involves a revaluation of project requirements and/or scope:
Crashing does not change project scope; it only shortens the schedule by allocating additional resources.
IIA’s Perspective on Project Risk and Management:
IIA Standard 2110 – Governance emphasizes the importance of project risk assessment, including schedule compression risks.
COSO ERM Framework identifies project cost overruns and resource misallocations as key risks in project execution.
PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) defines crashing as a schedule compression technique used when deadlines must be met at additional cost.
IIA References:
IIA Standard 2110 – Governance & Risk Oversight in Project Management
COSO Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) – Project Risk Considerations
PMBOK Guide – Schedule Compression Techniques (Crashing & Fast-Tracking)
Thus, the correct and verified answer is D. It is a compression technique in which resources are added so the project is completed faster.
