Explain how the techniques of PERT (Project Evaluation and Review Technique), scenario planning and buffering could be used in project management with specific reference to the time scale aspect of the new training centre project.

PERT

This can be used to conquer the uncertainties over times taken for individual activities in a network diagram. Unless a same project has been undertaken before then timings set for every activity can be very uncertain. The method is designed to account for uncertainty in the project lifecycle.

Each task is assigned a time:

• An optimistic (best) time on the duration of the latets training centre project if the conditions were ideal.
• A probable time if conditions were normal or as expected.
• A pessimistic (worst) time which is the duration it would take if a number of things went wrong.

These estimates are then changed into a mean time and standard deviation which means it is possible to establish the duration of the new training centre project using the usual times, but also to calculate a contingency time allowance.