CRI TI CAL PATH METHOD/ANALYSI S

What is a Project
It can be defined as set of large no of activities that are performed in certain sequence and has to
be completed within a)specified time b) specified cost and c) meeting the performance standard
Framework of CPM
A network is a graphical representation of a project depicting the flow as well as sequence of
well defined activities and events. Developed during 1950 CPM is network technique helps the
manager in planning, scheduling and controlling.It helps in identification of those activities ,jobs
and events which control the completion of the project.
Five steps of CPA
1) Analyse and breakdown the project in terms of activities and events.
2) Determine interdependence and sequence of specific activities and prepare a network
3) Assing estimates of time ,cost, or both to all activities of the network.
4) Identify the longest or the critical path through network
5) Monitor,evaluate and control the progress of the projet by replanning and rescheduling of
resources.
Basic terms in CPA network
1) Activity: Any portion of a project which consumes time and resources and has definable
beginning and ending.
A

2) Events :The beginning or ending points of an activity are called events
A

Starting End
event event
3) Parallel Activites: when 2 or more activites start from same event than these activities to
be known as parallel activites.

A

B
Meaning and Importance of Critical Path

The key task in network analysis is to identify the longest path through network. The longest
path is the critical path it is the minimum path required to complete the project. All paths other
than critical path (non critical path) offers flexibility in scheduling and transferring resources,
since they take less time to complete.

Importance
1 Start and Finish time-A schedule consisting of start and finish time for each activity may be
prepared and objective of the control can be achieved by completing each activity within the
scheduled time.
2 Activities for crashing-if the project is to be completed earlier than its expected time the
project manager should concentrate on critical path activities first.
3Resource allocation and smoothing


Question
Develop a network

Activity
A
B
C
D
E
Immediate predecessor
-
-
A
B
C,D
Solution
A C E

B D
Q.
Activity
1-2
1-3
1-4
2-3
2-6
3-5
4-5
4-6
5-6

Times in days
8
10
8
10
16
17
18
14
9

Draw network diagm.and identify critical path


8 16
10 10 17 9
111
8 18
14


Possible Paths
1-2-6 = 8+16 = 24
1-2-3-5-6 =8+10+17+9=44
1-3-5-6 =10+17+9= 36
1-4-5-6 =8+18+9 = 35
1-4-6 =8+14 = 22

1-2-3-5-6 =8+10+17+9=44 is critical path


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