Cert and CPM

Project management can be defined as a structural way of planning, scheduling, executing,
monitoring and controlling various phases of a project. To achieve the end goal of a project on time,
PERT and CPM are two project management techniques that every management should implement.
These techniques help in displaying the progress and series of actions and events of a project.
Meaning of PERT
Program (Project) Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) is an activity to understand the planning,
arranging, scheduling, coordinating and governing of a project. This program helps to understand the
technique of a study taken to complete a project, identify the least and minimum time taken to
complete the whole project. PERT was developed in the 1950s, with the aim of the cost and time of a
project.
Meaning of CPM
Critical Path Method or CPM is a well-known project modelling technique in project management. It
is a resource utilising algorithm that was developed in the 1950s by James Kelly and Morgan
Walker.
CPM is mainly used in projects to determine critical as well as non-critical tasks that will help in
preventing conflicts and reduce bottlenecks.
In essence, CPM is about choosing the path in a project that will help in calculating the least amount
of time that is required to complete a task with the least amount of wastage.
The Critical Path Method or CPM has been used in many industries starting from defence,
construction, software, aerospace, etc.
PERT vs CPM
Abbreviation
PERT – Project Evaluation and Review CPM – Critical Path Method

Technique
What does It Mean?
PERT – PERT is a popular project CPM – CPM is a statistical algorithm

management technique that is applicable which has a certain start and end time
when the time required to finish a project is for a project
not certain
Model Type
PERT – PERT is a probabilistic model CPM – CPM is a deterministic model
Focus
PERT – The main focus of PERT is to CPM – The main focus of CPM is on a
minimise the time required for completion of trade-off between cost and time, with a
the project major emphasis on cost-cutting.
Orientation type
PERT – PERT is an event-oriented technique CPM – CPM is an activity-oriented

technique

PERT Example
Advantages of CPM
 Provides an outline for long term coordination and planning of a project

 Recognizes critical activities
 Easy to plan, schedule and control project
 It improves productivity
 Manages the resource needed
Disadvantages of CPM
 For beginners its difficult to understand

 Software too expensive
 Sometimes, to structure CPM is too time-consuming
 It cannot control and form the schedule of a person involved in the project
 Allocation of resources cannot be monitored properly
CPM Example
How to Make a PERT Chart?
To prepare a PERT Chart, the following steps need to be followed.
 Recognize particular projects and milestones.

 Decide the precise sequence of the project.
 Create a network diagram.
 Determine the time needed for each project activity.
 Manage the critical path.
 Update the PERT chart as the project progresses.
CPM in Project Management
The Critical Path Method in project management is a step-by-step technique used in the planning
process that explains the critical and non-critical activities of a project. CPM goals are to check time-
bound issues and process that causes blockage in the project. The CPM is preferably applicable to
projects that involve various activities that are associated with a complex method. Once CPM is
applied, it will help you keep your projects on track.
 Helps you recognize the action that needs to be performed on time so that the whole project
is completed on time.
 Indicates which responsibilities can be delayed and for how long without affecting the
overall project plan.
 Determines the least amount of time it will take to accomplish the project.
 Tells you the newest and latest time each activity can start on in order to manage the
schedule.
The term of each action is listed above each joint in the diagram. For an individual path, insert the
duration of each node to ascertain the total duration. The critical path is the one that has the longest
duration.
Forward Pass—Earliest Times
The forward pass requires that you remember just three things when computing early activity times:
1. You add activity times along each path in the network (ES + DUR = EF).
2. You carry the early finish (EF) to the next activity where it becomes its early start (ES), or
3. If the next succeeding activity is a merge activity, you select the largest early finish number (EF) of all
its immediate predecessor activities.
The three questions derived from the forward pass have been answered; that is, early start (ES), early
finish (EF), and the project expected duration (TE) times have been computed. The backward pass is the
next process to learn
Backward Pass—Latest Times
EF = LF
The backward pass is similar to the forward pass; you need to remember three things:
1. You subtract activity times along each path starting with the project end activity (LF − DUR = LS).
2. You carry the LS to the preceding activity to establish its LF, or
3. If the next preceding activity is a burst activity; in this case you select the smallest LS of all its
immediate successor activities to establish its LF
Determining Slack (or Float)
4 slacks (Total, Free, Independent, Interferring)
Total Slack
Total slack tells us the amount of time an activity can be delayed and not delay the project. Stated
differently, total slack is the amount of time an activity can exceed its early finish date without affecting
the project end date or an imposed completion date
It is simply the difference between the LS and ES or between LF and EF
 LS − ES = SL
 LF − EF = SL

When the LF = EF for the end project activity, the critical path can be identified as those activities that
also have LF = EF or a slack of zero (LF − EF = 0 or LS − ES = 0). The critical path is the network path(s)
that has (have) the least slack in common
Free Slack (Float)
Free slack (FS) is unique. It is the amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying any
immediately following (successor) activity. Or, free slack is the amount of time an activity can exceed its
early finish date without affecting the early start date of any successor(s). Free slack can never be
negative. Only activities that occur at the end of a chain of activities, where you have a merge activity,
can have free slack
TS of ith node and slack from jth (with arrow)
Head Slack = with arrow jth node
Tail Slack = no arrow ith node

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Project management can be defined as a structural way of planning, scheduling, executing,

PERT – Project Evaluation and Review CPM – Critical Path Method

What does It Mean?

PERT – PERT is a popular project CPM – CPM is a statistical algorithm

PERT – PERT is a probabilistic model CPM – CPM is a deterministic model

PERT – PERT is an event-oriented technique CPM – CPM is an activity-oriented

 Provides an outline for long term coordination and planning of a project

 For beginners its difficult to understand

How to Make a PERT Chart?

To prepare a PERT Chart, the following steps need to be followed.

 Recognize particular projects and milestones.

Backward Pass—Latest Times

2. You carry the LS to the preceding activity to establish its LF, or

4 slacks (Total, Free, Independent, Interferring)

It is simply the difference between the LS and ES or between LF and EF

Free Slack (Float)

Head Slack = with arrow jth node

Tail Slack = no arrow ith node

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