Engineering Project Management

(CPM & PERT)

Md. Masudur Raman Shah
Lecturer ,Eastern University
Dept of EEE (ME)
 What Is the Critical Path In Project
Management?

⦿ In project management, the critical path is the

longest sequence of tasks that must be completed
to execute a project. The tasks on the critical path
are called critical activities because if they’re
delayed, the whole project completion will be
delayed. To find the critical path, project
managers use the critical path method (CPM).
 What Is the Critical Path Method
(CPM)?

⦿ The critical path method (CPM) is a project

management technique that’s used by project
managers to create an accurate project schedule.
The CPM method, also known as critical path
analysis (CPA), consists in using the CPM
formula and a network diagram to visually
represent the task sequences of a project. Once
these task sequences or paths are defined, their
duration is calculated to identify the critical path.
 Finding the critical path is very helpful for project managers
because it allows them to:
⦿ Accurately estimate the total project duration.
⦿ Estimate the time that’s necessary to complete each project task.
⦿ Identify critical activities which must be completed on time and
require close supervision.
⦿ Find out which project tasks can be delayed without affecting
the project schedule by calculating slack for each task.
⦿ Identify task dependencies, resource constraints and project
risks.
⦿ Prioritize tasks and create realistic project schedules.
 When Should You Use Critical Path
Analysis?

⦿ Critical path analysis is another way of referring to the critical

path method. As noted, it’s used by industries with complex
projects, such as aerospace, defense, construction and product
development.
⦿ Therefore, critical path analysis is a crucial first step in
developing a project schedule. It’s done early in the life cycle of
a project, usually in the planning phase, but it’s not unheard of
to have CPM as part of a project proposal before the project has
been approved.
⦿ By understanding which are the critical tasks in a project you
can focus on getting those done if time, resources and costs are
an issue. Knowing this in advance of executing a project will
help you deliver that project successfully.
 Critical Path Method (CPM)
Formula

⦿ Before we learn how to use the CPM formula, we need to understand

some key CPM concepts.
⦿ Earliest start time (ES): This is simply the earliest time that a task can be
started in your project. You cannot determine this without first knowing if
there are any task dependencies.
⦿ Latest start time (LS): This is the very last minute in which you can start a
task before it threatens to delay your project timeline .
⦿ Earliest finish time (EF): The earliest an activity can be completed, based
on its duration and its earliest start time .
⦿ Latest finish time (LF): The latest an activity can be completed, based on
its duration and its latest start time .
⦿ Float: Also known as slack, float is a term that describes how long you can
delay a task before it impacts its task sequence and the project schedule.
The tasks on the critical path have zero float because they can’t be delayed
 Critical Path Method (CPM)
Formula
⦿ The critical path method formula has two parts; a
forward pass and a backward pass.
⦿ Forward Pass in CPM:Use the CPM diagram and the
estimated duration of each activity to determine their
earliest start (ES) and earliest finish (EF). The ES of
an activity is equal to the EF of its predecessor, and
its EF is determined by the CPM formula EF = ES + t
(t is the activity duration). The EF of the last activity
identifies the expected time required to complete the
entire project.
 Critical Path Method (CPM)
Formula
⦿ Backward Pass in CPM :
⦿ Begins by assigning the last activity’s earliest
finish as its latest finish. Then the CPM formula
to find the LS is LS = LF – t (t is the activity
duration). For the previous activities, the LF is
the smallest of the start times for the activity that
immediately follows.
 CPM Problem
The following details are available regarding a
project:

Determine the critical path, the critical activities and the

project completion time.
CPM Problem
Find out the completion time and the critical activities for the
following project:
 CPM Problem
Draw the network diagram and determine the
critical path for the following project:
CPM Problem

We have the following network diagram for the project:

 CPM Problem

⦿ We assert that there are 4 paths, beginning with

the start node of 1 and terminating at the end
node of 9. They are as follows:
⦿ Path 1: A+D+H+K
Duration of the of the Path : 5+5+2+4=16 Weeks
.
Path 2: B+E+I+K
Duration of the of the Path : 6+7+3+4=20 weeeks
 CPM Problem
⦿ Path 3: B+F+J
Duration of the of the Path : 6+10+6 =22 weeks
Path 4: C+ G+J
Duration of the of the Path : 3+4+6 =13 weeks
Compare the times for the four paths. Maximum of {16,
22, 16, 13} = 22. We see that the following path has
the maximum time and so it is the critical path.
The critical activities are B, F& J. The non-critical
activities are A, C, D, G,, H and K . The project
completion time is 22 weeks.
 Program Evaluation & Review
Tecnique(PERT)
⦿ Define PERT: The Program Evaluation Review
Technique, or PERT, is a visual tool used in
project planning. Using the technique helps
project planners identify start and end dates, as
well as interim required tasks and timelines. The
information is displayed as a network in chart
form.
 Component of PERT chart

⦿ the basic layout of a PERT chart consists of three

main components:
1.A network diagram.
2.Time Estimates for each work.
3. Critical Path analysis.
1.A network diagram:
A network diagram that shows the sequence and
dependencies between project tasks [flow]
 Component of PERT chart

⦿ 2.Time Estimates for each work:

Time estimates for each task, along with their
estimated completion date [duration]
3. Critical Path analysis :
Critical path analysis to determine which tasks
are most important and must be completed on
schedule [priorities/dependancies]
 Benefits of PERT chart in project
management

⦿ PERT has a number of advantages for project

managers looking to offload some of their activities.
In fact, a lot of teams use pert diagrams for project
planning. So let’s get into understanding the benefits
of the PERT chart.
⦿ 1 Helps to create a project schedule:
PERT chart helps you to create a detailed project
schedule with information about task dependencies,
timing, and resource requirements. Since it’s all
crystal clear, it’s much easier to manage and
coordinate the different tasks involved in your
project.
 Benefits of PERT chart in
project management
⦿ 2 Improves communication between stakeholders :With a
PERT chart, you can clearly communicate about the project
schedule and goals with everyone involved in the process. This
makes it easier to get buy-in from team members and other key
decision-makers, helping to ensure that your project moves
forward smoothly and efficiently.

⦿ 3 Helps you to identify potential risks and bottlenecks

⦿ Using pert diagrams for project planning, you can quickly
identify any potential issues or risks with your project
schedules, such as dependencies between tasks that may cause
delays or resource constraints that could hinder progress.
Having that info in hand, you can proactively address these
issues and take steps to mitigate any potential problems.
 Benefits of PERT chart in
project management
⦿ 4 Facilitates better task coordination
⦿ Charts tend to be visual by nature, and this makes
them a great tool for project managers who need to
coordinate the work of many different team
members.With a PERT chart, you can easily see
where there are gaps in your schedule or which team
members have multiple tasks that overlap or conflict
with each other. This enables you to make
adjustments as needed to ensure optimal task
coordination and optimal project execution.
⦿ 5 Makes the critical path more visible
Benefits of PERT chart in
project management
A PERT chart, you can easily identify which
tasks are on the critical path and make sure that
they get the attention they need to stay on
schedule. At a glance, you can see where there
may be room for delays or if any resources are
overstretched, and take the appropriate steps to
either reschedule tasks or add more resources as
needed to keep in line with the project timeline.
 Difference between CPM& PERT
⦿ 1. PERT is a project management technique, whereby planning,
scheduling, organising, coordinating and controlling uncertain
activities are done. CPM is a statistical technique of project
management in which planning, scheduling, organising,
coordination and control of well-defined activities take place.
⦿ 2. PERT is a technique of planning and control of time. Unlike
CPM, which is a method to control costs and time.
⦿ 3. While PERT is evolved as a research and development
project, CPM evolved as a construction project.
⦿ 4. PERT is set according to events while CPM is aligned
towards activities.
 Difference between CPM& PERT
⦿ 5. A deterministic model is used in CPM.
Conversely, PERT uses a probabilistic model.
⦿ 6. There are three times estimates in PERT, i.e.
optimistic time (to), most likely time ™, pessimistic
time (tp). On the other hand, there is only one
estimate in CPM.
⦿ 7. PERT technique is best suited for a high precision
time estimate, whereas CPM is appropriate for a
reasonable time estimate.
⦿ 8. PERT deals with unpredictable activities, but CPM
deals with predictable activities.
 Difference between CPM& PERT
⦿ 9. PERT is used where the nature of the job is
non-repetitive. In contrast to, CPM involves the job
of repetitive nature
⦿ 10. PERT is best for research and development
projects, but CPM is for non-research projects like
construction projects
⦿ 11. Crashing is a compression technique applied to
CPM, to shorten the project duration, along with the
least additional cost. The crashing concept is not
applicable to PERT