Network Analysis / Critical Path Method (CPM) -I

A network diagram is a graphical representation of all the tasks, responsibilities, and

work-flow for a project. It often looks like a chart with a series of circles and arrows. It is
used to map out the schedule and work sequence for the project, as well as track its progress
through each stage, up to and including completion. Since it encompasses every single action
and outcome associated with the project, a network diagram also illustrates the scope of the
project. A network diagram can also boost performance and productivity while reducing
stress among team members.

The most common and widely used project management technique that can be classified
under the title of Network Analysis is Critical Path Method (CPM). The basic purpose of a
network analysis is to help managers schedule, monitor and control large and complex
projects. Critical Path Method (CPM) or (Calculate Schedule) is a modeling process that
defines all the project's critical activities which must be completed on time. CPM models the
activities and events of a project as a network.

Critical Path Method (CPM) or the Critical Path Analysis (CPA) helps you to plan all tasks
that must be completed as part of a project. A further benefit of Critical Path Analysis is that
it helps you to identify the minimum length of time needed to complete a project. Where you
need to run an accelerated project, it helps you to identify which project steps you should
accelerate to complete the project within the available time.

 A project is defined by a set of activities.

 Each activity is defined by its duration (time to complete the activity) and its
predecessors (activities that must be completed before the activity can start).
 CPM (Critical Path Method) is used to assist the project manager in scheduling the
activities (i.e., when should each activity start). It assumes that activity durations are
known with certainty.

Critical Path Analyses are presented using circle and arrow diagrams. An arrow running
between two event circles shows the activity needed to complete that task. A description
of the task is written underneath the arrow. The length of the task is shown above. An
example of a very simple diagram is shown below
 Fig.1 Circle and arrow diagrams

Fig.2 Circle and arrow diagrams showing two activities

Here the activities of "Select Hardware" and "Core Module Analysis" cannot be started
until High Level Analysis has been completed. This diagram also brings out a number of
other important points:

 Within Critical Path Analysis, we refer to activities by the numbers in the circles at
each end. For example, the task "Core Module Analysis" would be called activity 2 to
3. "Select Hardware" would be activity 2 to 9.
 Activities are not drawn to scale. In the diagram above, activities are 1 week long, 2
weeks long and 1 day long. Arrows in this case are all the same length.
 In the example above, you can see a second number in the top, right hand quadrant of
each circle. This shows the earliest start time for the following activity. It is
conventional to start at 0. Here units are whole weeks.

To understand the concept of critical path, you need to understand the various terms used in
this method. The critical path is the longest distance between the start and the finish of your
project, including all the tasks, their duration, which gives you a clear picture of the project’s
actual schedule. Another term in the critical path method is earliest start date ‫أول وقث بدء ممكن‬
This is simply the earliest date that a task can be started in your project. You cannot
determine this without first knowing if any tasks are dependent on this one task, or figuring
out‫ معرفة‬other constraint that might impact the start of this task. Next is the earliest finish
date ‫ أول وقث اجمام ممكن‬This being the earliest date your task can be completed.
Along those lines, you need to figure out what the latest start date ‫ أخر وقث بدء مسمىح به‬is.
This is the very last minute in which you can start a task before it threatens to upset ‫أضطراب‬
your project schedule. And you need to calculate what the latest finish date ‫آخروقث اجمام‬
‫ مسمىح به‬is for the same reason. By having a clear picture of this timeframe, you can better
schedule the project to meet its deadline‫ المىعد النهائي‬.

Float, also known as slack, is a term that describes how long you can delay a task before it
impacts the planned schedule and threatens the project’s deadline. When you are collecting
tasks for the critical path, they must have zero float. But if the tasks do have some float, then
they go on the non-critical path. Crash duration is a term that describes the shortest amount
of time that a task can be scheduled. You can get there by moving around resources, adding
more towards the end of the task, to decrease the time needed to complete the task. This often
means a reduction in quality, but is based on a relationship between cost and time. There are
four essential steps for figuring out the critical path in your project:

 List all the tasks needed to complete the project.

 Note the duration of each of those tasks.
 If there are any task dependencies, you want to collect them, too. A task dependency is
when one task cannot start until another one has been finished.
 What are the milestones in the project? That being the major phases. Also, what are
the deliverables ‫االنجازات‬Create a list of these.

When you have this data collected, you’re able to calculate the longest path your planned
tasks will take to reach the end of the project, as well as the earliest and latest that each task
can start and finish without impacting the project schedule.

Activity On Arrow ‫ وهي مختصر‬AOA ‫ يكون الرسم اما بطريقة‬CPM ‫ عند التخطيط لمشروع‬
. Activity On Node ‫ وهي مختصر‬AON ‫او بطريقة‬
 :‫صيغ ومعادالت مهمة‬

Critical path is the longest-duration path through the network. The significance of the critical
path is that the activities that lie on it cannot be delayed without delaying the project.
Because of its impact on the entire project, critical path analysis is an important aspect of
project planning. The critical path can be identified by determining the following four
parameters for each activity:

1. Earliest Start time (ES): the earliest time at which the activity can start given that its
precedent activities must be completed first.
2. Earliest Finish time (Ef), equal to the earliest start time for the activity plus the time
required completing the activity.
3. Latest Finish time (Lf): the latest time at which the activity can be completed without
delaying the project.
4. Latest Start time (LS), equal to the latest finish time minus the time required to
complete the activity.
The Total float for an activity is the time between its earliest and latest start time, or between
its earliest and latest finish time. Slack is the amount of time that an activity can be delayed
past its earliest start or earliest finish without delaying the project. A delay in the critical path
delays the project. Similarly, to accelerate the project it is necessary to reduce the total time
required for the activities in the critical path. Activity is an individual task needed for the
completion of a project. Duration is the length of time (hours, days, weeks, months) needed
to complete an activity.

Activity is an individual task needed for the completion of a project.

Duration is the length of time (hours, days, weeks, months) needed to complete an activity.

Float is the amount of time that an activity can slip past its duration without delaying the rest
of the project.

Free float is the excess time available before the start of the following activity.

Steps in CPM Project Planning

1. Specify the individual activities.

2. Determine the sequence of those activities.

3. Draw a network diagram.

4. Estimate the completion time for each activity.

5. Identify the critical path (longest path through the network)

6. Update the CPM diagram as the project progresses.