Project managementLesson 3 of 5 in the course Project planning and scheduling

Critical Path Method: Network Scheduling, Float, Drag, and Schedule Control

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

The critical path method (CPM) is a way to schedule project activities and determine the shortest possible project duration. This lesson introduces the method, its history, and the information needed to build a project network.

CPM, also called critical path analysis (CPA), is an algorithm for scheduling activities that depend on one another. It identifies the longest sequence of dependent activities from the project start to a chosen endpoint. Because this sequence takes the most time, its duration determines the shortest possible time to complete the project, assuming the plan and estimates hold.

All flashcards

Who developed CPM, and when?
Morgan R. Walker of DuPont and James E. Kelley Jr. of Remington Rand developed it in the late 1950s.
What four elements does a basic CPM model require?
Activities, their estimated durations, dependencies, and logical endpoints such as milestones or deliverables.
How do total float and free float differ?
Total float is delay possible without delaying project completion; free float is delay possible without affecting a following activity’s earliest start.
What does critical path drag measure?
How much a critical-path activity or constraint extends project duration. With parallel work, it is the lesser of the activity’s duration and the least relevant parallel total float.
What is as-built critical path analysis?
An analysis of the schedule as actually completed and the causes and effects of differences from the planned schedule.

Quiz questions

  1. What is the relationship between CPM and PERT?Answer: They are distinct project-planning techniques that are commonly used together.
  2. What does fast tracking mean in project scheduling?Answer: Overlapping activities that were previously planned in sequence, when the work can safely overlap.
  3. What does crashing the critical path typically involve?Answer: Shortening critical activity durations, often by adding resources at additional cost.
  4. In an activity-on-node diagram, what do the arrows represent?Answer: Logical relationships from predecessor activities to successor activities.
  5. Why should a project manager review and recalculate a CPM schedule as a project changes?Answer: Changed estimates, dependencies, constraints, or resources can alter which path is critical.

Based on the Wikipedia article Critical path method, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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