PM Test Center

Although you got your project schedule approved prior to starting it, your client just moved the target finish date up two days. In order to finish the project two days earlier, which of the following can you apply?

A. Add two days of lag to the critical path
B. Add two days of lag to a non-critical path
C. Add two days of lead to the critical path
D. Add two days of lead to a non-critical path

Answer: C. Add two days of lead to the critical path
Lag is a forced waiting period and therefore, would push the project out. Adding lead, also known as negative lag, would do the opposite -- overlap related tasks, which is what you will need to do in this example to finish sooner. However, only adding lead to the critical path would affect the end date. Although you can add lead anywhere, putting it on a non-critical path would not allow you to finish any sooner.