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Critical Path Method

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Megdam Sameeh Tarawneh
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43 views15 pages

Critical Path Method

Uploaded by

Megdam Sameeh Tarawneh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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
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 Background & History

 CPM Defined
 The CPM approach
 Definitions
 Class Exercise
 Developed in the 1950s by the US Navy
 The critical path method initially focused solely
on the logical dependencies among terminal
elements.
 Since then, it has been enhanced to include
resources associated with each activity through
processes known as activity-based resource
assignments and resource leveling
 Critical Path Method for the construction industry
❖Non-computer approach
❖John Fondahl
 The Critical Path Method (CPM), also known as
Critical Path Analysis, is a mathematical algorithm
used to schedule a series of project activities.
 It is an important tool for effective project
management.
 Commonly utilized across various types of projects,
such as construction, software development,
research initiatives, product development,
engineering, and plant maintenance, among others
 This scheduling method can be applied to any
project involving interdependent activities.
 The core technique of CPM involves
creating a project model that encompasses
the following elements:
❖A comprehensive list of all activities necessary to
complete the project, often referred to as the
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
❖The duration required to complete each activity.
❖The dependencies between the activities.
❑ CPM calculates
❖The longest path of planned activities to the end of the
project
❖The earliest and latest that each activity can start and
finish without making the project longer
 Determines “critical” activities (on the longest path)
 Prioritize activities for the effective management and
to shorten the planned critical path of a project by:
❖ Pruning critical path activities
❖“Fast tracking" (performing more activities in parallel)
❖“Crashing the critical path" (shortening the durations of
critical path activities by adding resources)
 Phase I
❖Break project into operations necessary for
completion
❖ Determine sequential relationship of operations
◼ Every operation must have event to mark

commencement –
i.e. completion of preceding operation
◼ Can operations overlap?
 Phase II
❖ Create time estimates for each operation
❖Determine earliest possible start date, earliest possible
finish date , latest start & finish
◼ Determine “free float” and “total float”

❖ Revised after completion of Phase III


 Phase III
❖Establish time-cost relationship
❖ Establish scheduling variations
◼ Determine most favorable balance between time-cost

❖Normal Start – normal time, least cost


❖ All-Crash Start – least time, higher cost
Float (slack) - amount of time that a task can be delayed without causing a
delay to:
❖ subsequent tasks (free float)
❖ project completion date (total float)

Critical path The critical path is the sequence of activities that determines the
longest overall duration of a project, representing the shortest possible time to
complete it. Any delay in an activity on the critical path directly affects the project’s
completion date, as there is no float on the critical path. A project may have multiple
parallel, near-critical paths. A parallel path with a total duration shorter than the
critical path is referred to as a sub-critical or non-critical path.

Critical activity – activity with zero float


Resource leveling – iterative process of assigning crews to activities in order
to calculate their duration
Activity Identity box
Critical Path Analysis is an effective and powerful
method of assessing:
❖Tasks which must be carried out
❖Where parallel activity can be carried out
❖The shortest time in which a project can be completed
❖Resources needed to achieve a project
❖The sequence of activities, scheduling, and timings
involved
❖Task priorities

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