Scribd
Upload
117 views

Calculating Critical Path & Float For A Network Diagram: Task Name, Duration (D)

The document summarizes how to calculate the critical path and float for a network diagram. It explains how to identify tasks and durations, draw the network diagram, determine the critical path by finding the longest path of tasks, and calculate float by doing an early start/finish and late start/finish analysis. The critical path is the longest sequence of tasks without float and determines the minimum project duration. Project float is the amount of time a project can be delayed without delaying the planned completion date.

Uploaded by

Kim Long
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
117 views

Calculating Critical Path & Float For A Network Diagram: Task Name, Duration (D)

The document summarizes how to calculate the critical path and float for a network diagram. It explains how to identify tasks and durations, draw the network diagram, determine the critical path by finding the longest path of tasks, and calculate float by doing an early start/finish and late start/finish analysis. The critical path is the longest sequence of tasks without float and determines the minimum project duration. Project float is the amount of time a project can be delayed without delaying the planned completion date.

Uploaded by

Kim Long
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

Calculating Critical Path & Float for a Network Diagram

Late Start (LS) Early Start (ES) Late Finish (LF) Early Finish (EF)

Task Name, Duration (D)

Find out the length of all the paths in the network diagram The longest path is the critical path Float = EF - LF = ES - LS

Calculating Critical Path for a Network Diagram


Identify tasks, durations & dependencies. 5 days

Task 2

4 days
Task 1 4 days Task 5

3 days Task 3

7 days Task 4

Step 1: Draw a Network Diagram


For forward pass, calculate the Early Start (ES) and Early Finish (EF).
Task 2, 5 days 4 Task 1, 4 days 0

9
Task 5, 4 days 14 18

4 Task 3, 3 days 4 Task 4, 7 days 7

14

Task 5 is dependent on Task 2 and Task 4 being complete. So, ES for Task 5 is 14 days (dependent on Task 4, which is the longer task.

Step 2: Determine Critical Path


To determine critical path, calculate length (durations) of all the paths:

Length of all tasks: Task1 Task2 Task5 = 4 + 5 + 4 = 13 days Task1 Task3 Task4 Task5 = 4 + 3 + 7 + 4 = 18 days
The longest path is the critical path

Critical path = longest path = 18 days


Critical Path = Task1 Task3 Task4 Task5

Step 3: Calculate Float in all tasks Backward Pass


ES = Early Start EF = Early Finish LS = Late Start LF = Late Finish 0 Task 1, 4 days 0 4 4 9 Task 2, 5 days 14

14 18 Task 5, 4 days 14 18 7 Task 4, 7 days 14

4 Task 3, 3 days
4

14

For all tasks on Critical Path (Task1, Task 3, Task 4, Task 5), EF = LF & ES = LS Thus, float (slack) for tasks on Critical Path = LF EF = 0 Float for Task 2 = LF EF = 14 9 = 5 days

Step 4: Calculate Project Float


Customer requests an end date of 25 days. Project Float is the total amount of time that the project can be delayed without delaying the project completion date required by the customer. 25 days 18 days = 7 days. Project float can be negative when the date imposed by the customer is before the duration required in the project schedule. For negative project float, the project must be crashed or fast-tracked. Crashing is a technique used to decrease the duration of the project by assigning additional resources to tasks and decreasing the duration required for those tasks.

Fast Tracking is a technique used to shorten project time by scheduling some activities concurrently that were originally scheduled sequentially.

You might also like