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Software Project Management Unit-3 - 3 PDF

The document discusses forward pass and backward pass techniques used in critical path method project management. The forward pass calculates the earliest start and finish dates by moving from early start to early finish along each path. The backward pass calculates the latest start and finish dates by moving from late finish and subtracting durations. Float is calculated as the difference between latest and earliest start or finish dates, and shows how much delay an activity can tolerate without delaying the project completion.

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MANAS TIWARI
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277 views2 pages

Software Project Management Unit-3 - 3 PDF

The document discusses forward pass and backward pass techniques used in critical path method project management. The forward pass calculates the earliest start and finish dates by moving from early start to early finish along each path. The backward pass calculates the latest start and finish dates by moving from late finish and subtracting durations. Float is calculated as the difference between latest and earliest start or finish dates, and shows how much delay an activity can tolerate without delaying the project completion.

Uploaded by

MANAS TIWARI
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Software Project Management (KOE-068)

UNIT-3 (Lecture-3)
Forward Pass & Backward Pass Techniques

Forward pass
The forward pass is carried out to calculate the earliest dates on which each activity may be
started and completed. Significance-calculation method used in Critical Path Method.

Forward Pass Computation


Add activity times along each path in the network (ES + Duration = EF).
Carry the early finish (EF) to the next activity where it becomes its early start (ES) unless
the next succeeding activity is a merger activity, in which case the largest EF of all
preceding activities is selected.

Backward pass
The second stage in the analysis of a critical path network is to carry out a backward pass to
calculate the latest date at which each activity may be started and finished without delaying the
end date of the project. The calculating the latest dates, we assume that the latest finish date for
the project is the same as the earliest finish date that is we wish to complete the project as early
as possible.

Backward Pass Computation


Subtract activity times along each path in the network (LF - Duration = LS).
Carry the late start (LS) to the next activity where it becomes its late finish (LF) unless...
The next succeeding activity is a burst activity, in which case the smallest LF of all
preceding activities is selected.

Importance of Forward pass with an example


In order to calculate Early Finish, we use forward pass. Means moving from Early Start towards
right to come up with Early Finish of the project.
Early Finish (EF) = ES + Duration
If Early Start is 6 days and duration is 10 days, EF = 6 + 10 = 16 Days

RAVIKANT NIRALA Page 1


Software Project Management (KOE-068)

What is Late Finish (LF)?


Late Start (LS) is the latest date that the activity can finish without causing a delay to the project
completion date.

Importance of Backward pass with an example


In order to calculate Late Start (LS), we apply backward Pass moving from Late Finish and
deducting from activity duration.
LS = LF – Duration
If Late Finish is 30 days and duration is 10 days, LS = 30 – 10 = 20 Days

Float (Slack) Calculation


The whole idea of network diagram and finding the project duration is to identify the critical path
and total float. Float represents how much each individual activity can be delayed without
delaying successor activities or project completion date.

Total Float = LS – ES or LF – EF
Total Float shows the difference between the Earliest Start (ES) and Latest Start (LS) of an
activity before the completion date is delayed.

Free Float = Lowest ES of successors – EF


Free Float represents the amount of time that an activity can be delayed before any successor’s
activity will be delayed. A zero free float represents the activity is in critical path and there is no
space to delay the activity without delaying the entire project.

RAVIKANT NIRALA Page 2

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