Critical Path

Method

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 History

The critical path method (CPM) is a project

modeling technique developed in the late
1950s by
Morgan R. Walker of DuPont and
James E. Kelley, Jr. of Remington Rand.

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 Application

CPM is commonly used with all forms of

projects, including
Construction
Aerospace and defense
Software Development
Research Projects,
Product Development
Engineering, and plant maintenance,
among others.
Any project with interdependent activities can
apply this method of mathematical analysis.
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 Basic Technique

The essential technique for using CPM is to

construct a model of the project that includes
the following:
A list of all activities required to complete the
project (typically categorized within a work
breakdown structure),
The time (duration) that each activity will take
to completion, and
The dependencies between the activities.

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 Basic Technique

Using these values, 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.
This process determines which activities
are "critical" (i.e., on the longest path) and
which have "total float" (i.e., can be delayed
without making the project longer).

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 Basic Technique
In project management, a critical path is the
sequence of project network activities which add up to
the longest overall duration.
This determines the shortest time possible to
complete the project.
Any delay of an activity on the critical path directly
impacts the planned project completion date (i.e.
there is no float on the critical path).
A project can have several, parallel, near critical
paths.
An additional parallel path through the network with
the total durations shorter than the critical path is
called a sub-critical or non-critical path.
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 PERT Chart

Activity-on-arrow diagram ("PERT Chart") is

where each activity is shown as a box or node
and the arrows represent the logical
relationships going from predecessor to
successor as shown here in the "Activity-on-
node diagram".
ES EF ES EF

A B
5 12
LS LF LS LF

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 Activity Relationships
Finish-to-Start (FS):
A relationship between activities in which the start of a successor
activity depends on the finish of its predecessor activity.

B
Start-to-Start (SS)
A relationship between activities in which the start of a successor
activity depends on the start of its predecessor.

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 Activity Relationships
Finish-to-Finish (FF):
A relationship between activities in which the finish of a
successor activity depends on the finish of its predecessor.

A
B
Start-to-Finish (SF):
A relationship between activities in which a successor activity
cannot complete until its predecessor starts.

A
Lags (or Leads):
An offset or delay from an activity to its successor. A Lag can be
positive or negative
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 Activity Box

ES EF

A
5
LS LF

ES = Early Start
EF = Early Finish
LS = Late Start
LF = Late Finish
A = Activity Name
5 = Duration Of Activity

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 Activity Network Diagram
ES EF ES EF

B C
10 8
LS LF LS LF

ES EF ES EF

A E
5 7
LS LF LS LF
ES EF

D
12
LS LF
Activity Name
A. Ordering of Pump
Assumptions
B. Pump Manufacturing
7 day work week
C. Pump Transportation
FS Relationships
D. Pump Foundation
No Lag or Leads
E. Pump Erection
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 Forward Pass
In Forward Pass Early Dates are calculated

Forward Pass

ES=6 EF=15 ES=16 EF=23

B C
10 8
LS LF LS LF
ES=1 EF=5 ES=24 EF=30

A E
5 7
LS LF LS LF
ES=6 EF=17

D
12
LS LF

Early Finish = Early Start + Duration - 1

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 Backward Pass
In Backward Pass Late Dates are calculated

ES=6 EF=15 ES=16 EF=23

B C
10 8
LS=6 LF=15 LS=16 LF=23

ES=1 EF=5 ES=24 EF=30

A E
5 7
LS=1 LF=5 LS=24 LF=30
ES=6 EF=17

D
12
LS=12 LF=23 Assuming LF = 30

Backward Pass

Late Start = Late Finish - Duration + 1

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 Total Float
Total Float = The amount of time the activity can be delayed before delaying
the Project Finish Date

ES=6 EF=15 ES=16 EF=23

B C
10 8
LS=6 LF=15 LS=16 LF=23

ES=1 EF=5 ES=24 EF=30

TF=0 TF=0
A E
5 7
LS=1 LF=5 LS=24 LF=30
ES=6 EF=17
TF=0
TF=0 D
12
LS=12 LF=23
Assuming LF = 30
TF=6

Total Float = Late Finish Early Finish

or Late Start Early Start

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 Critical Path Scenario-I
Scenario I Late Finish of the project = 30
Activities with Total Float =< 0 are on the Critical Path

ES=6 EF=15 ES=16 EF=23

B C
10 8
LS=6 LF=15 LS=16 LF=23

ES=1 EF=5 ES=24 EF=30

TF=0 TF=0
A E
5 7
LS=1 LF=5 LS=24 LF=30
ES=6 EF=17
TF=0
TF=0 D
12
LS=12 LF=23
Assuming LF = 30
TF=6
Activities A, B, C and E are on the Critical Path
Activity D can be delayed by 6 days before delaying the finish date of the Project

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 Critical Path Scenario-II
Scenario II Late Finish of the Project is greater than 30 i.e. 40
Activities with Total Float =< 0 are on the Critical Path

ES=6 EF=15 ES=16 EF=23

B C
10 8
LS=16 LF=25 LS=26 LF=33

ES=1 EF=5 ES=24 EF=30

TF=10 TF=10
A E
5 7
LS=11 LF=15 LS=34 LF=40
ES=6 EF=17
TF=10
TF=10 D
12
LS=22 LF=33
Assuming LF = 40
TF=16
There is no critical activittes
But the Longest path is Activities A, B, C and E
For Activity E, C is a driving activity as Finish Date of C determines the Start Date of E
And D is Non Driving
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 Critical Path Scenario-III
Scenario III Late Finish of the Project is Less than 30 i.e. 24
Activities with Total Float =< 0 are on the Critical Path

ES=6 EF=15 ES=16 EF=23

B C
10 8
LS=0 LF=9 LS=8 LF=17

ES=1 EF=5 ES=24 EF=30

TF=-6 TF=-6
A E
5 7
LS=-5 LF=-1 LS=18 LF=24
ES=6 EF=17
TF=-6
TF=-6 D
12
LS=6 LF=17
Assuming LF = 24
TF=0

All the activities are critical

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 Total Float

Positive Total Float

We can delay the activity

Zero Total Float

We cannot delay the activity

Negative Total Float

The activity is already delayed

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