D.

Description
Don Honorio Ventura State University
Bacolor, Pampanga

College of Engineering and Architecture

A. Course Code /
Title CMPM 423 / Construction Methods and Project
Management
B. Module Number Module 1 — Introduction to Construction Project
Management

C. Time Frame Week 1-4

This module is an introductory topic on the definition of a proj ect, characteristics and components of
a proj ect, the proj ect life cycle, project management concepts, and different contractual arrangements being
applied in the Philippines.

E. Objectives:
At the end of this module, the learner should be able to:

I .Discuss the different cycles of project development.

2.Discuss the different project management concepts.

3 .Learn the different contractual arrangements being used in the Philippines.

F. Contents
A. Introduction
Definition of a Project
A proj ect is a combination of activities of different specialized groups, directed at a non- repetitive
result, with a clear beginning and end.
The Proj ect Management Institute defines a project as a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a
product, service, or result, the major goal of which is to satisfy a customer's need.

A. 1 Major Characteristics of a Project

l. An established objective
2, A defined life span with a beginning and an end

3. Usually, the involvement of several departments and professionals

4. Typically, doing something that has never been done before

5. Specific time, cost, and performance requirements

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A.2 Three Components of a Project
When a project is first assigned to a project manager, it is important that all three of these components

be clearly defined.

l . Scope- represents the work to be accomplished, i.e., the quantity and quality of work.
2. Budget- refers to direct costs (of materials and labor) and indirect expenses, measured in pesos
and/or labor-hours of work.

3. Schedule- refers to the logical sequencing and timing of the work to be performed.

Quality
Fig.l Quality is an integral part of Scope, Budget, and Schedule.

A.3 Classifications of Projects

I Residential Building-structures built for the purpose of housing people, supplies, or

equipment. This includes apartments, townhomes, condos, nursing homes, dormitories,

garages

2. Institutional and Commercial Building-encompasses schools, sports arenas, hospitals, shopping

centers, stadiums, retail stores, skyscrapers

3. Specialized Industrial Construction-building structures that require a high level of specialization as

well as technical skills in planning, construction, and design. Examples are oil refineries, nuclear
power plants, hydro-electric power plants

4. Infrastructure and Heavy Construction-building and upgrading of highways, railways,

communications, transit systems, roads, drainage systems, pipelines. These are often executed by
government agencies and large private corporations.

A.4 The Project Life cycle

The project life cycle typically passes sequentially through four (4) stages: defining, planning,

executing, and delivering. The starting point begins the moment the proj ect is given the go-ahead.

Project effort starts slowly, builds to a peak, and then declines to delivery of the proj ect t to the customer.

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l . Defining Stage: Specifications of the project are defined; project objectives are established;
teams are formed; major responsibilities are assigned.

2. Planning Stage: The level of effort increases, and plans are developed to determine what the
project will entail, when it will be scheduled, whom it will benefit, what quality level should
be maintained, and what the budget will be.

3. Executing Stage: A major portion of the project work takes place- both physical and mental.
The physical product is produced (a bridge, a report, a software program). Time, cost, and
specification measures are used for control. Is the proj ect on schedule, on budget, and
meeting specifications?

4. Closing Stage: Closing involves three (3) activities:

a. Delivering the project product to the customer. Delivery of the project might
include customer training and transferring documents.

b. Redeploying project resources. Redeployment usually involves releasing proj ect

equipment/materials to other projects and finding new assignments for team members.

c. Post-proj ect review. Post-proj ect reviews include not only assessing performance
but also capturing lessons learned.

B. What is Management?
Management is a process. It is the process of directing and facilitating the work of people who are
organized for a common purpose. It is the process of combining the efforts and resources of individuals with
a common interest to achieve a desired objective. Management is a function. It is the function of getting things
done through the efforts of others. It is the application of authority and the assumption of responsibility. It is
an art, the art of handling people.

B. 1 Functions of Management
Management is often summarized into five (5) basic functions: planning, organizing, staffing,
directing, and controlling. Although these basic management functions have been developed and used by
managers of businesses, they apply equally to the management of a proj ect.
Planning is the formulation of a course of action to guide a project to completion. It starts at the
beginning of a project, with the scope of work, and continues throughout the life of a project. The establishment
of milestones and consideration of possible constraints are major parts of planning. Successful project planning
is best accomplished by the participation of all parties involved in a project.
There must be an explicit operational plan to guide the entire project throughout its life.

Organizing is the arrangement of resources in a systematic manner to fit the proj ect plan. A proj ect
must be organized around the work to be performed. There must be a breakdown of the work to be performed
into manageable units, which can be defined and measured. The work breakdown structure of a project is a
multi-level system that consists of tasks, subtasks, and work packages.
Staffing is the selection of individuals who have the expertise to produce the work. The persons who
are assigned to the project team influence every part of a project. Most managers will readily agree that people

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are the most important resource on a project. People provide the knowledge to design, coordinate, and construct
the project. The numerous problems that arise throughout the life of a project are solved by people.

Directing is the guidance of the work required to complete a project. The people on the project staff
that provide diverse technical expertise must be developed into an effective team. Although each person
provides work in his or her area of expertise, the work that is provided by each must be collectively directed
in a common effort and in a common direction.
Controlling is the establishment of a system to measure, report, and forecast deviations in the project
scope, budget, and schedule. The purpose of project control is to determine and predict deviations in a proj ect
so corrective actions can be taken in order to finish the proj ect on time. Proj ect control requires the continual
reporting of information in a timely manner so management can respond during the execution of the project
rather than afterwards. Control is often the most difficult function of project management.

B.2 Project Management

Project management is concerned with the overall planning and coordination of a project from
inception to completion aimed at meeting the client's requirements and ensuring completion on time, within
cost and to required quality standards.

B.3 Steps in Management of a Project

Step l : Project Definition (to meet the needs of the end user)
-Intended use by the owner upon completion of construction

-Conceptual configurations and components to meet the intended use

Step 2: Project Scope (to meet the project definition)

-Define the work that must be accomplished.

-Identify the quantity, quality, and tasks that must be performed.
Step 3: Project Budgeting (to match the proj ect definition and scope) -
Define the owner's permissible budget.
-Determine direct costs, indirect costs, plus contingencies.

Step 4: Project Planning (the strategy to accomplish the work) -Select

and assign proj ect staff.

-Identify the tasks required to accomplish the work.

Step 5: Project Scheduling (the product of scope, budgeting, and planning)

-Arrange and schedule activities in a logical sequence.

-Link the costs and resources to the scheduled activities.

Step 6: Project Tracking or Project Control (to ensure the proj ect is progressing as planned)
-Measure work, time, and costs that are expended.
-Compare "actual" to planned work, time, cost.

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Step 7: Project Close Out(final completion to ensure owner satisfaction)

-Perform final testing and inspection, archive documents, and confirm payments.

-Turn over the project to the owner.

B.4 Role of the Project Manager

The role of the project manager is to lead the project team to ensure a quality project within time,
budget, and scope constraints. A project is a single, non-repetitive enterprise, and because each project is
unique, its outcome can never be predicted with absolute confidence. A project manager must achieve the
desired results despite all the risks and problems that are encountered. Success depends on carrying out the
required tasks in a logical sequence, utilizing the available resources to the best advantage. The proj ect
manager must perform the five (5) basic functions of management: planning, organizing, staffing, directing,
and controlling.

Project planning is the heart of good project management. It is important for the project manager to
realize that he/she is responsible for proj ect planning, and it must be started early in the project (before
starting any work). Planning is a continuous process throughout the life of the proj ect, and to be effective, it
must be done with input from the people involved in the proj ect.
A project organizational chart should be developed by the project manager for each project. The chart
should clearly show the appropriate communication channels between the people working on the proj ect.
Project team members must know the authority of every other team member in order to reduce
miscommunications and rework. Organized work leads to accomplishments and a sense of pride in the work
accomplished. Unorganized work leads to rework. Rework leads to errors, low productivity, and frustrated
team members.

Project staffing is important because people make things happen. Most individuals will readily agree
that people are the most important resource on a proj ect. They create ideas, solve problems, produce designs,
operate equipment, and install materials to produce the final product. Because each project is unique, the
project manager must understand the work to be accomplished by each discipline.

The proj ect manager must direct the overall proj ect and serve as an effective leader in coordinating
all aspects of the proj ect. This requires a close working relationship between the proj ect manager and the
project staff to build an effective working team. Because most project team members are assigned (loaned)to
the project from their discipline(home) departments, the project manager must foster the development of staff
loyalty to the project while they maintain loyalty to their home departments. The project manager must be a
good communicator and have the ability to work with people at all levels of authority. The project manager
must be able to delegate authority and responsibility to others and concentrate on the linking process between
disciplines. He or she cannot become overly involved in detailed tasks, but should be the leader of the team to
meet project objectives.
Project control is a high priority of management and involves a cooperative effort of the entire project
team. It is important for the project manager to establish a control system that will anticipate and report
deviations on a timely basis, so corrective action can be initiated before more serious problems actually occur.
Many team members resist being controlled; therefore the term monitoring a project may also be used as a

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description for anticipating and reporting deviations in the project. An effective project control system must
address all parts of the project: quality, work accomplished, budget, schedule, and scope changes.

C. Contractual Arrangements (or Project Delivery Methods)

Project management requires teamwork among the three principal contracting parties. Members of the
owner's team must provide the project's needs, the level of quality expected, a permissible budget, and the
required schedule. They must also provide the overall direction of the project. The designer's team must
develop a set of contract documents that meet the owner's needs, budget, required level of quality, and
schedule. In addition, the work specified in the contract documents must be constructable by the contractor.
The contractor's team must efficiently manage the physical work required to build the project in accordance
with the contract documents.

C.I Design/Bid/Build Contract

A design/bid/build contract is commonly used for projects that have no unusual features but have a
well- defined scope. It is a three-party arrangement involving the owner, designer, and contractor. This method
involves three steps: a complete design is prepared, followed by solicitation of competitive bids from
contractors, and the award of a contract to a construction contractor to build the project. Two separate contracts
are awarded, one to the designer and one to the contractor. Since a complete design is prepared before
construction, the owner knows the project's configuration and approximate cost before commencing
construction. Considerable time can be required because each step must be completed before starting the next
step. Also, changes during construction can be expensive because the award of the construction contract is
usually based upon a lump-sum, fixedprice bid before construction, rather than during construction.

C.2 Design/Build Contract

A design/build contract is often used to shorten the time required to complete a project or to provide
flexibility for the owner to make changes in the project during construction. It is a two-party arrangement
between the owner and the design/build firm. Since the contract with the design/build firm is awarded before
starting any design or construction, a cost- reimbursable arrangement is normally used instead of a lump-sum
fixed-cost arrangement. This method requires extensive involvement of the owner for decisions that are made
during the selection of design alternatives and the monitoring of costs and schedules during construction.

C.3 Construction Management Contract

A construction management (CM) contract can be assigned to a CM firm to coordinate the proj ect for
the owner. The CM contract is a four- party arrangement involving the owner, designer, CM firm, and
contractor. There has been a considerable debate regarding the CM process and the amount of responsibility
assigned to the CM firm by the owner. The basic CM concept is that the owner assigns a contract to a firm that
is knowledgeable and capable of coordinating all aspects of the proj ect to meet the intended use of the proj
ect by the owner.

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C.4 Owner/Agent Arrangement

An owner-agent arrangement is sometimes used for handling a proj ect. Some owners perform part of
the design using in-house personnel and contract the balance of the design to one or more outside design
consultants. Construction contracts may be assigned to one contractor or to multiple contractors. Although
uncommon, an owner may perform all design and construction company and a governmental body activity
using in-house personnel.

An owner can select a variety of ways to handle a project. The contract arrangement that is selected
depends on the resources available to the owner, the amount of project control that the owner wishes to retain,
the amount of involvement desired by the owner, the amount of risk that is shared between the owner and
contractor, and the importance of cost and schedule.

C.5 Public-Private Partnerships

Public-private partnerships are a mechanism for government to procure and implement public
infrastructure and/or services using the resources and expertise of the private sector. Where governments are
facing ageing or lack of infrastructure and require more efficient services, a partnership with the private sector
can help foster new solutions and bring finance.

PPP's combine the skills and resources of both the public and private sectors through sharing of risks
and responsibilities. This enables governments to benefit from the expertise of the private sector, and allows
them to focus instead on policy, planning and regulation by delegating day to day operations.

C.6 Build-Operate- Transfer Contract

Build-operate-transfer contract is an agreement between a private company and a governmental body.
The agreement commits the private company to build and operate a facility-such as a power plant or an
expressway-for a period of time then transfer ownership to the government. In some cases, an actual transfer
does not take place, rather the government will act as primary customer.
A number of variations on the basic BOT model exist: under build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT)
contracts, the contractor owns the project during the project period; under build-lease-transfer (BLT) contracts,
the government leases the the project from the contractor during the project period and takes charge of
operation.

C. 7 Turnkey Contract
A Turnkey contract is one under which the contractor is responsible for both the design and the
construction of a facility. The basic concept is that in a Turnkey Contract, the contractor shall provide the
works ready for use at the agreed price and by a fixed date.

C.8 Fast-Track Contract

Fast-track building construction is construction industry jargon for a project delivery strategy to start
construction even before the design is completed. The purpose is to shorten the time to completion.

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G. References
1. Project Management, The Managerial Process by Erik W. Larson and Clifford F. Gray [Chapter 4,
pg. 2-6]
2. Construction Management by Garold D. Oberlender [Chapter l, pg. 1 - 16]; [Chapter 11, pg.
258 - 270]

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 Don Honorio Ventura State University
Bacolor, Pampanga

College of Engineering and Architecture

A. Course Code / Title : CMPM 423 / Construction Methods and Project

Management

B. Module Number : Module 2 – Decision Making and Development of Work

Plan

C. Time Frame : Week 5-6

D. Description :

This module is a discussion of developing the project work plan particularly Project
Organization and Management and Work Breakdown Structure.

E. Objectives:

At the end of this module, the learner should be able to:

1. Define and understand organizational structure.

2. Discuss the steps in creating a work breakdown structure.

F. Contents

❖ A. Decision Making

Decision making is the fundamental process of management. Most of the efforts of managers are
related to this process. Unfortunately, decisions do not always turn out as planned.

Only executive make decisions. This is by virtue of his position or authority. Decision-making is
only one of manager's tasks. It is but a small fraction of his time. But to make decisions is his specific
work.

A.1 Effective Decisions

Decision is a judgment. It is between alternatives. It is rarely a choice between right or wrong. It

is at best a choice between almost right and probably wrong.

Managers who make effective decisions know that one does not start with facts, one starts with
opinions. But opinions are nothing, but untested hypotheses and as such, is worthless unless tested
against reality.

Effective manager knows that unless a decision has degenerated into work, it is not a decision; it
is at best a good intention. While the decision itself is based on the highest level of conceptual
understanding, the action to carry it out should be as close as possible to the working level and as simple
as possible. Right decisions grow out of the clash and conflict of divergent opinions and competing
alternatives.

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The main task of a manager is not administration. It is the making of policy, the making of the
right decision.

The first rule in decision making is that, one does not make a decision unless there is
disagreement. Right decision demands adequate disagreement first.

There is one final question the effective decision maker asks: Is the decision really necessary?
One alternative is always the alternative of doing nothing.

A.2 Effective Managers

Effective managers are expected to make effective decisions. Decisions with significant impact
on the entire organization, its performance and results, defines the manager.

He concentrates on the important ones. He tries to make the few important decisions on the highest level
of conceptual understanding. Effective managers know that a decision must be based on principle and
should be made on the merits of the case.

Effective managers insist on alternatives, so that he can choose the one appropriate one. Unless
one has considered alternatives, one has a closed mind. Effective decision maker constantly monitors the
result of the decision to ascertain that the desired objectives have been achieved. If they have not, the
decision maker may have to restart the entire process, or perhaps a review of the situation may reveal the
following:

l. An error in the actual implementation

2. An error in calculation

A.3 Decision Process

Effective decisions are made through a systematic process defining clearly the elements in a
distinct sequence of steps. Most successful decision making follows a process that consist of the
following steps:

1. Identify the problem

2. Specify objectives and decision criteria

3. Develop alternatives

4. Analyze and compare alternatives

5. Select the best alternative

6. Implement the chosen alternative

7. Monitor results to ensure the desired results are achieved.

The success or failure in making decision often depends on how well each of these steps is
handled.

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The decision maker must identify the criteria by which proposed solutions will be judged.
Common criteria often relate to:

l. Capital

2.Time

3.Profits

4.Maintenance

5. Return of investment

6. Increase in costs

7. Risks

Analyzing and comparing alternatives, often benefits from the use of mathematical or statistical
techniques. Selection of the best alternative will depend on the objectives of the decision maker and the
criteria that are being used to evaluate alternatives. Implementing the chosen solution simply mean,
carrying out the actions indicated by the chosen alternative. If the alternative selected is to do nothing,
no action will be required to implement.

A.4 Reasons for Poor Decisions

1. Errors made in the decision process

In many cases, the manager fail in the decision process due to the style of making quick decision

Upon making right decisions in the past, the manager get the impression that he can do no wrong and the
decision making process only circle in the things that the manager knows.

2. Bounded rationality

A term which refer to be the limit as control on making decision because of cost, human abilities, time;
technology and the availability of information.

3. Sub-optimism

Is the result from each different department’s attempt to reaching a solution that is optimum for their
department

A.5 Elements of Decision Process

5 elements in the process of decision making:

1. See if the problem was generic and could only be solved through a decision established by a rule,
or principle.
2. Define the specifications of the answer to the problem.

For a decision to be effective, it needs to satisfy the following boundary conditions:

What the decision has to accomplish?

What are the objectives of the decision?

What are the minimum goals it has to attain?

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What are the conditions it has to satisfy?

3. The thinking through what is right, that is, the solution which will satisfy the specifications
before attention is given to the compromises, adaptations, and concessions needed to make the
decision acceptable.
4. The building into the decision of the action to carry it out.
5. The feedback, to evaluate the validity and effectiveness of the decision.

A.6 Budgeting the Time

o Effective manager know that time is the limiting factor.

o Time is a unique resource.
o Time is absolutely irreplaceable.
o The main task in the work of a manager is the time spent working with people.
o Relations with other knowledge workers are really time consuming.
o Mixing personal relations and work relations is time consuming.
o The larger the organization, the less actual time will the manager will have to manage out of the
little time at his disposal.
o People decisions are time consuming.
o Time wastes is often result from over staffing.
o Meetings
If executives in an organization spend more than a fairly small part of their time in meeting, it is
a sure sign of mal-organization.
Meetings have to be the exception rather than the rule

A.7 First things first

The one secret of effectiveness is concentration. Effective managers do first thing first and they
do one thing at a time. There are always more important contributions to be made than there is available
to make them. No matter how the manager manages his time, the greater part of it will still not be his
own. Therefore, there is always a time deficit.

What one postpones, one actually abandons. Timing is the most important element in the
success of any effort.

A.8 Employee Discipline

Discipline is a means that management uses to bring employees behavior under control. It is an
employer's action against an employee for infraction of company policies or rules.

The purpose of discipline is preventive; that is to prevent the commission of an act, which
violates the policies, rules and regulations of the company. It is a form of control to protect the interests
of the company as well as those of the employees.

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The objective of discipline is to educate the employees in the fundamental standards of behavior
and performance. The employees should therefore be made to realize that the rules and regulations are
enforced for their own benefit and not merely to punish them. Its aim is to correct or reform the
employee, not to penalize him.

Control within this context has three major dimensions:

1. As a means of establishing awareness on the part of the employees regarding the proper behavior,
attitude, and conduct in their jobs.

2. As a means of establishing an atmosphere conducive to working together efficiently.

3. As a means of correcting or reforming employees who commit any infraction or violation of company
rules and regulations.

A.9 Principles of Discipline

1. Disciplinary action should not be taken unless there is an obvious necessity for it.
2. The reasons for disciplinary action should be made clear.
3. Give the man a chance to present his-side of the story, and do not argue.
4. There should be no favoritism or discrimination in any disciplinary action.
5. Reprimand should be given as soon as possible after the occurrence of the act. Right timing is
important, but first have all the facts.
6. Forgive and forget. When disciplinary action has been given, the supervisor should resume a
normal attitude toward the offending employee.
7. Never discipline anyone in the presence of others
8. The discipline that is inflicted must be just, but sufficiently severe to meet the requirements of
the situation.
9. Disciplinary measure should be applied by the immediate superior of the employee affected,
rather than by some other higher executive.
10. In general, negative disciplinary action cannot be successfully applied to large groups of
employees representing a substantial portion of one's organization. If there is poor discipline
among a large group, it is possible that there something vitally wrong in the situation. The
remedy is correction of the situation, not disciplinary action.
11. In determining the nature and degree of disciplinary action that is made necessary by some
improper act of an employee, the intent should be considered.
12. Discipline should be constructive. It should show the offender how to correct his errors and leave
him willing and anxious to improve rather than feel bitter and resentful.
13. Except in cases of extremely serious offenses, no disciplinary action should be permitted to take
place until the supervisor has actually talked the situation over with the employee.
14. Discipline should not be administered on an entirely routine basis. Each case should be treated
individually. You cannot discipline a group to teach a few offenders.
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15. Maintain a constant and sincere interest in your people's welfare on and off the job. This reduces
the need for disciplining to a minimum.
16. Motivation is the secret of good discipline. When a man is sufficiently motivated, discipline
will take care of itself.

❖ B. Development of a Work Plan

o When a project manager is assigned to a project, his/her first duty is to gather all the
background material like the owner’s study and the contract that has been signed by the project
manager’s organization.These documents must be thoroughly reviewed to be certain there is a
welldefined scope, an approved budget, and a schedule that shows major milestones for the
project, in
particular the required completion date.

The purpose of this initial review process is to become familiar with the owner’s objectives,
the overall project needs, and to identify any additional information that may be needed to begin the
process of developing a work plan to manage the project.

B.1 Organizational Structure

An organizational structure defines how activities such as task allocation, coordination,

and supervision are directed toward the achievement of organizational objectives. Organizational
structure affects organizational action and provides the foundation on which standard operating
procedures and routines rest.

Organizational structure shows the method by which work flows through an organization.
It allows groups to work together within their individual functions to manage tasks. Traditional
organizational structures tend to be more formalized-with employees grouped by function ( such
as finance, or operations), region or product line.

Example of a functional organization is illustrated by the electrical power

company shown in Figure 6-2

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Figure 6-3 shows a typical work environment of a consulting engineering company that
provides design services for projects. The company emphasis is discipline oriented, involving a
group of specialists who share knowledge and technical expertise.

Another type of organizational structure for a consulting engineering company is

shown in Figure 6-4. The company is organized into functional departments: buildings,
heavy/civil, process, and transportation.

To increase emphasis on project cost, schedule, and general coordination, a matrix

organization as shown in Figure 6-5 is often used. The objective is to retain the design
disciplines in their home departments so technical expertise is not lost, and to create a projects
group that is responsible for overall project coordination.
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B.2 Work Breakdown Structure

For any size project, large or small, it is necessary to develop a well-defined work
breakdown structure (WBS) that divides the project into identifiable parts that can be easily
managed. The concept of the WBS is simple: in order to manage a whole project, one must
manage and control each of its parts. The WBS is the cornerstone of the project work plan. It
defines the work to be performed, identifies the needed expertise, assists in selection of the
project team, and establishes a base for project scheduling and control.

A WBS is a graphical display of the project that shows the division of work in a multi-
level system (see below Figure) is an illustrative example of a WBS for a project that has 5 major
facilities: mobilization, foundation, structure, landscaping, and project closeout. Each major
facility is subdivided into smaller components. For example, the major facility of structure is
subdivided into 4 components: framing, roof, interior, and exterior. The project is further broken
down so the components at each level are subsets of the next higher level.The smallest unit in the
WBS is a work package. A work package must be defined in sufficient detail so the work can be
measured, budgeted, scheduled, and controlled.

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Figure 6-6 is a simple illustrative example of a WBS for a project that has three major facilities: site-work,
utilities, and buildings.

The WBS is the foundation of a project management system. Code numbers can be used to relate the WBS to the
Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) for management of people. Code numbers can also be used to relate
the WBS to the Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) for management of costs. Similarly, code numbers can relate the
WBS to the Critical Path Method (CPM) schedule to manage
time. Thus, the WBS provides a systematic approach for identifying work, compiling the budget, and developing
an integrated schedule. Since the WBS is developed jointly by the project team, the people that will actually
perform the work, it is an effective tool for relating work activities to ensure that all work is included and that
work is not duplicated.

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B.3 Project Work Plan

The project manager must develop a written work plan for each project that identifies the
work that needs to be done, who is going to do it, when it is to be done, and what the costs will
be. The level of detail should be sufficient to allow all project participants to understand what is
expected of them in each phase and time period of the project.

The 4 basic components of a work plan are the directory, tasks, schedule, and budget.
The project directory contains all pertinent information such as project title, number, objectives,
scope and project organizational chart showing all participants, including the owner’s
representatives. The detailed list of tasks, and grouping of tasks, is derived from the work
breakdown structure (WBS). The sequencing and scheduling of tasks can be obtained by
integrating the schedules of work packages provided by team members. Likewise, the budget can
be obtained from a summary of the costs from all work packages.

Once the work plan is finalized it serves as a document to coordinate all work and as a
guide to manage the overall effort of the project. It becomes the base for control of all work.

G. References

1. Construction Management, Max B. Fajardo Jr. [Chapter 1, pg. 2 – 9]

2. Project Management for Engineering and Construction by Garold D. Oberlender [Chapter 6,

pg. 99 - 117

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 D. Description

Don Honorio Ventura State University

Bacolor, Pampanga

College of Engineering and Architecture

A. Course Code /
Title CMPM 423 / Construction Methods and Project
Management
B. Module Number Module 3 - Planning and Scheduling (PERT/CPM)
Week 5-6
C. Time Frame
This module is a discussion of the principles in Project Planning and Scheduling Process as well as the
comparison and construction of PERT and CPM

E. Objectives:
At the end of this module, the learner should be able to:

l. To understand the principles and techniques in planning and scheduling.

2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of planning and scheduling process.
3. To understand the process in constructing a PERT/CPM Network Diagram

F. Contents
A. Project Planning and Project Scheduling
Proj ect planning is the process of identifying all the activities necessary to successfully complete the
project. Project scheduling is the process of determining the sequential order of the planned activities,
assigning realistic durations to each activity, and determining the start and finish dates for each activity. Thus,
project planning is a prerequisite to project scheduling because there is no way to determine the sequence or
start and finish dates of activities until they are identified.
However, the terms of project planning and scheduling are often used synonymously because planning
and scheduling are performed interactively. For example, a specific list of activities may be planned and
scheduled for a project. Then, after the schedule is reviewed, it may be decided that additional activities should
be added or some activities should be rearranged in order to obtain the best schedule of events for the project.

A. 1 Desired Results of Planning

Project planning is the heart of good project management because it provides the central
communication that coordinates the work of all parties. Planning also establishes the benchmark for the
project control system to track the quantity, cost, and timing of work required to successfully complete the
project. Although the most common desired result of planning is to finish the project on time, there are other
benefits that can be derived from good project planning (see Table 8-1).

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Planning is the first step to project scheduling. Planning is a process and not a discrete activity. As
changes occur, additional planning is required to incorporate the changes into the schedule. There are many
situations or events that can arise that can impact a project schedule. Examples are changes in personnel,
problems with permits, change in a major piece of equipment, or design problems. Good planning detects
changes and adjusts the schedule in the most efficient manner.
A common complaint of many design engineers is they cannot efficiently produce their work because
of interruptions and delays. The cause of this problem is usually a lack of planning, and in some instances
no planning at all. Planning should clearly identify the work that is required by each individual and the
interface of work between individuals. It should also include a reasonable amount of time for the exchange
of information between project participants, including the delay time for reviews and approvals.

TABLE 8-1
DESIRED RESULTS OF PROJECT PLANNING AND SCHEDULING

1. Finish the project on time

2. Continuous (uninterrupted)flow of work (no delays)
3. Reduced amount of rework (least amount of changes)
4. Minimize confusion and misunderstandings
5. Increased knowledge of status of project by everyone
6. Meaningful and timely reports to management
7. run the project instead of the project running you
8. Knowledge of scheduled times of key parts of the project
9. Knowledge of distribution of costs of the project
10. Accountability of people, defined responsibility/authority
11. Clear understanding of who does what, when, and how much
12. Integration of all work to ensure a quality project for the owner

Another common complaint of many designers is the amount of rework they must do because of
changes in the project. This also leads to confusion and misunderstandings that further hinder productive
work. Planning should include a clear description of the required work before the work is started. However,
it must be recognized that changes are a necessary part of project work, especially in the early development
phases. If changes in the work are expected, or probable, then project planning should include provisions for
a reasonable allowance of the anticipated changes. Too often people know that changes will occur, but fail
to include them in the proj ect.
Project planning and scheduling can serve as an effective means of preventing problems. It can prevent
delays in work, a major cause of late proj ect completion and cost overrun, which often leads to legal disputes.
It can also prevent low worker morale and decline in productivity that is caused by lack of direction.

A.2 Principles of Planning and Scheduling

There must be an explicit operational plan to guide the entire proj ect. The plan must include
and link the three components of the proj ect: scope, budget, and schedule. Too often, planning is
focused only on schedule without regard to the important components of scope and budget.

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To develop an integrated total project plan, the project must be broken down into welldefined
units of work that can be measured and managed. This process starts with the WBS. Once this is
completed, the proj ect team members who have the expertise to perform the work C&I be selected.
Team members have the ability to clearly define the magnitude of detail work that is required. They
also have the ability to define the time and cost that will be required to produce the work. With this
information a complete project plan can be developed.
The project plan and schedule must clearly define individual responsibilities, schedules,
budgets, and anticipated problems. The proj ect manager should prepare formal agreements with
appropriate parties whenever there is a change in the proj ect. There should be equal concern given
to schedule and budget, and the two must be linked. Planning, scheduling, and controlling begin at
the inception of the project and are continuous throughout the life of the project until completion.
Table 8-2 lists key principles for planning and scheduling.
TABLE 8-2
KEY PRINCIPLES FOR PLANNING AND SCHEDULING

1. Begin planning before starting work, rather than after starting work
2 Involve people who will actually do the work in the planning and scheduling process
3. Include ail aspects of the project: scope, budget, schedule, and quality
4. Build flexibility into the plan, Include allowance for changes and time for reviews and
approvals
5. Remember the schedule is the plan for doing the work, and it will never be precisely
correct
6. Keep the plan simple, eliminate irrelevant details that prevent the plan from being readable
7. Communicate the plan to all parties; any plan is worthless unless it is known

A.3 Responsibilities of Parties

The principal parties of owner, designer, and contractor all have a responsible role in project
planning and scheduling. It is erroneous to assume this role is the responsibility of any one party.
Each must develop a schedule for his or her required work and that schedule must be communicated
and coordinated with the other two parties, because the work of each affects the work of the others.
The owner establishes the proj ect completion date, which governs the scheduling of work for
both the designer and contractor. The owner should also set priorities for the components that make
up the project. For example, if the project consists of three buildings, the relative importance of the
buildings should be identified. This assists the designer in the process of organizing his or her work
and developing the design schedule to produce drawings that are most important to the owner. It also
assists in the development of the specifications and contract documents that communicate priorities
to the construction contractor.

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The design organization must develop a design schedule that meets the owner's schedule. This
schedule should include a prioritization of work in accordance with the owner's needs and should be
developed with extensive input from all designers who will have principal roles in the design process.
Too often, a design schedule is produced by the principal designer, or the proj ect manager of the
design organization, without the involvement of those who will actually do the work.

The construction contractor must develop a schedule for all construction activities in
accordance with the contract documents. It should include procurement and delivery of materials to
the job, coordination of labor and equipment on the job, and interface the work of all subcontractors.
The objective of the construction schedule should be to effectively manage the work to produce the
best-quality proj ect for the owner. The purpose of construction scheduling should not be to settle
disputes related to project work, but to manage the project in the most efficient manner.

For some proj ects, it may be desirable for one party to maintain the schedule and the other
parties to participate in monitoring it. Ultimately each one of the parties will be responsible for his or
her portion of the schedule. Maintaining one common schedule as a cooperative effort between parties
can reduce problems associated with maintaining three separate schedules.

A.4 Techniques for Planning and Scheduling

The technique used for project scheduling will vary depending upon the project's size,
complexity, duration, personnel, and owner requirements. The project manager must choose a
scheduling technique that is simple to use and is easily interpreted by all proj ect participants. There
are two general methods that are commonly used: the bar chart (sometimes called the Cuntt chart) and
the Critical Path Method (sometimes called CPM or network analysis system).
The bar chart, developed by Henry L. Gantt during World War I, is a graphical time-scale of
the schedule. It is easy to interpret; but it is difficult to update, does not show interdependences of
activities, and does not integrate costs or resources with the schedule. It is an effective technique for
overall project scheduling, but has limited application for detailed construction work because the many
interrelationships of activities, which are required for construction work, are not defined. Many proj
ect managers prefer the bar chart for scheduling engineering design work because of its simplicity,
ease of use, and because it does not require extensive interrelationships of activities. However, it can
require significant time for updating since the interrelationships of activities are not defined. A change
in one activity on the bar chart will not automatically change subsequent activities. Also, the bar chart
does not integrate costs with the schedule, nor does it provide resources, such as labor hours, that are
important for management of design.
The Critical Path Method (CPM) was developed in 1956 by the DuPont Company, with
Remington Rand as consultants, as a deterministic approach to scheduling. The CPM method is
commonly used in the engineering and construction industry. A similar method, Program Evaluation
and Review Technique (PERT), was developed in 1957 by the U.S. Navy, with Booz, Allen, &
Hamilton Management consultants, as a probabilistic approach to scheduling. It is more commonly
used by the manufacturing industry; however, it can be used for risk assessment of highly uncertain

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projects. Both methods are often referred to as a network analysis system. The CPM provides
interrelationships of activities and scheduling of costs and resources. It also is an effective technique
for overall project scheduling and detailed scheduling of construction. However, it does have some
limitations when applied to detailed engineering design work during the early stages of a project
because it requires an extensive description of the interrelationships of activities.
Although the CPM technique requires more effort than a bar chart, it provides more detailed
information that is required for effective project management. Using a network schedule to plan a
project forces the project team to break a proj ect down into identifiable tasks and to relate the tasks to
each other in a logical sequence in much greater detail than a bar chart. This up-front planning and
scheduling help the project team to identify conflicts in resources before they occur. The project
manager must use his or her own judgement and select the method of scheduling that best defines the
work to be done and that communicates proj ect requirements to all participants.

B. Networking Fundamentals
The making and reading of a network diagram requires some familiarity of network
conventions. One of the main features of PERT and CPM is their use of a network or precedence
diagram which is the key in solving typical problems. Activities are arranged from left to right.

B.l Network Conventions

There are two slightly different conventions for making a network diagram. They are:

1. Activity on Arrow (AOA)- that is, using arrows to designate activities in capital letters.

2. Activity on Node (AON) - that is, using nodes to designate activities in capital letters.

O O OAON O
The nodes (circles or sometimes rectangles) in the AOA approach represent the beginning or
the end of activities, which are called events. An event is a point in time. Unlike activities, events do
not consume either resources or time.
There are two ways of designating an activity. One way is by assigning a letter to an arrow
such as activity A, B, a, b, etc. Another way is by using the number at their endpoints. For example,
activity A can also be designated as activity 1-2, activity B can be designated as activity 2-3, etc. The
network describes sequential relationships among different activities on a project. For instance, in the
AON figure above, activity 2-3 cannot be started according to the network until activity 1-2 has been
completed.

B.2 Precedence Diagram

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A precedence diagram is a "graphical or tabular representation of an operational structure that
consists of processes like events, activities, and organizational relationships." The precedence diagram
clearly indicates which of the activities must be performed in the sequence, and which can be
performed independently of each other. The network or precedence diagram is composed of a number
of Arrows and Nodes.
The precedence diagram method (PDM) is a tool for scheduling activities in a proj ect plan. It
is a method of constructing a project schedule network diagram that uses boxes(or circles), referred to
as nodes, to represent events or activities, and connects them with arrows that show the dependencies.
Dependencies- are "relationships between products or tasks", that is, tasks that require input
from other tasks before they can be completed; or activities that can't start until a previous activity is
done.

B.3 Principles in Networking or Arrow Diagramming

Principle 1. That everything in the network or arrow diagram must have a meaning. Thus;
a) Every arrow represents an item of work and is called an Activity. An arrow consists of a
head and a tail.

Mobilization tailhead
arrow
Fig.B.31

b) An Event is the starting point of an activity or an ending point of a previous activity,

represented by a circle, square, or any geometrical form.
Mobilization Staking Out

Fig. 8.32
In Fig. B.32 above, event 2 is the starting point of activity Staking Out, at the same time event 2 is the
ending point of activity Mobilization.

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c) An activity is dependent upon and cannot begin until after the completion of all preceding

activities.

Fabricate on footing
rebe
Install formworks

Fig. 8.33

In Fig. B.34, the activities pouring of concrete on footing and on slab depend upon the completion of
the two activities that enter into their common starting point 3. Hence, it is impossible to pour concrete
on footing and slab until after fabrication of rebars and installation of formworks have been completed.

Principle 2. An activity has a single definite starting point and a single definite ending point
An arrow in the network must be able to answer two basic questions:

1. What activities must be completed before this activity can start?

2.What activities cannot be started if this activity is not completed?

Column footing

O
Fig. B.35

Principle 3. The network (arrow diagram) does not describe time relationships but rather dependency
relationships.
The length and direction of an activity arrow has no relationship with the amount of time required to
accomplish the work presented by it. Similarly, two activities starting at the same event do not necessarily
occur at the same time.

F
ig. 8.36

The arrow diagram defines the activity situation that exists. In Fig. F.36, activities E and F do not mean
that both activities must be conducted at the same time. They may or they may not. These two activities are
independent of each other.

Principle 4. The network (arrow diagram) is hardly ever done by a single person.

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In accomplishing the schedule in the network diagram, consultation should be made with several
number of people who have something to do with the project. Likewise, subcontractors and suppliers should
be asked to review the network diagram to make sure that the activities affecting their participation are
accurately and realistically described.

B.4 Fundamental Elements of PERT/CPM Networking

The 3 fundamental elements of PERT/CPM networking are Event, Activity, and Time (or Duration).

Event- or node is a point in time signifying the beginning or end of one or more activities. It denotes the
completion of all preceding activities and the beginning of one or more activities. The event or node is indicated
on the network as a circle, square, ellipse, or any geometrical shape with a number written therein for
identification.
l . Numbering the events from left to right , and top to bottom comes after construction of the network.
2. No two events shall have the same identification number in the network. When a group of N parallel
activities start from the same event and end with the same subsequent event, N-l parallel activities in the group
should be joined to the subsequent event with dummy activities for identification purposes.

Fig. 8.37

3. For this reason, one or more dummy activities may be used in a network.

Activity - is the work operation required to complete a task, or in some cases, a segment of that task. In short,
activity is the actual work between events.
fabricate/ fabricate/ Concreting
of

footing

Fig. 8.38
For example, each particular work such as clearing, excavation, fabrication of rebars, formworks, and
concreting of footing are indicated by an arrow on the project network. The arrows should always point to the
right. An arrow which represents one activity is identified by a numbered circle at its tail and another numbered
circle at its head. The description of the activity is written along the arrow.
Dummy Activity - is an arrow on a network showing the dependent relationship between two activities.
However, dummy activity does not represent actual work efforts, and does not consume time. Dummy activity
may be used in the network to distinguish between two or more parallel activities.
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Duration of an Activity- is the span of time it takes an activity to be finished. In short, this is the normal time
duration of a task.
Path - A path is a sequence of activities that leads from the starting node to the finishing node. Thus, the
sequence 1-2-4-6 (or a-c-D in the network of Fig. F.39 is a path. Another path is the sequence 1-3-5-6 (or b-e-
g). Can you find the third path?

End
Start
1

Fig. B.39 Network Diagram

Comments:

l. The duration or time of any path can be determined by adding the expected duration of the activities
along that path.
2. The path with the longest duration catches management interest because it governs the proj ect
completion time.

3. In short, the duration of the project is equal to the duration of the longest path.
4. If there are delays along the longest path, naturally there is also a corresponding delay in proj ect
completion time.
5. Therefore, any attempt to shorten the project completion time must concentrate on the sequence of
activities having the longest duration because of its relation to the completion time.
6. The path with the longest duration is the critical path and its activities are called the critical
activities.
7. Paths that are shorter than the critical path may experience some delay without affecting the overall
project completion time provided the path's duration does not exceed the duration of the critical
path.
8. The allowable slippage for any path is called the path slack or float time. It indicates the difference
between the duration of a given path and the duration of the critical path.
9. The critical path then has a zero slack or float.

B.5 Illustrative Problem: Precedence Diagram

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Example 1:
From the following table of information:

a. Draw a precedence diagram.

b Find the Critical Path

c. Determine the expected duration of the proj ect.

Activity Precedes Expected
Duration a s
a c,b 4

c d 12

d i 2

b i 5

3
8
1 12
end 9
h 1
h 3
k end 15

dumm , I

Precedes- means comes before. For example, in the table above, activity a comes before activities c and b;
activity c comes before activity d; etc.
Solution: Using Activity-On-Arrow (AON) method

a) Examining the table of information above, letters a,e, and g are absent in the Precedes column, meaning no
activity precedes or comes before them, In short, activities a,e,and g are the first three activities in the project
occurring simultaneously. Draw the precedence diagram with activities a,e,and g as the first three activities
occurring at the same time.

StartEnd

O
k=15

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Fig. B.40 Precedence Diagram

b) Finding the Critical Path

List down the five (5) paths of the precedence or network diagram.
Path Duration eeks
a-c-d-i-j 4+ 12+2+ 12+9 39 Weeks (highest
duration
a-b-i-• 12+ 9 30
e-f-• 20

-h-k 1 + 3 + 15 19
13
The Critical Path is the path with the longest route (highest duration). Therefore, the Critical Path is path

a - c - d - i -j

c)Similarly, the highest duration is 39 weeks. Therefore, the expected project duration is 39 weeks.

Example 2.
Given the following table of information:

a) Construct the network diagram.

b) Find the critical path.

c) Determine the length of the critical path.

Activi Ex ected Time da s
1-2 5
2-3 6
2-4 4
3-6 10
3

4-5 5
16

9
Solution:
a) Construct the network diagram.

10

Sta rt

Network diagram

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b) Finding the critical path. List down all the paths and compute their durations.
Path Duration da s
1-2-3-6-7 5 +6+ 10 + 3 = 24
1-2-4-7 5 +4+ 16 =25 Ion ath
est
1-2-4-5-7 5 + 4 + 5 + 9 23
The critical path is the longest path. Therefore, the critical path is path 1-2-4-7.

c) The length of the critical path is 25 days. (Project duration)

C. The PERT/CPM Network Diagram

All projects be it engineering, administrative, or construction have characteristics which are common
to any project. Every project is composed of works, activities, tasks, or functions that are related to one another
in some manner. Generally, all these projects must be completed because the main goal is to finish the proj ect
under the following objectives:

l . To complete the project at the earliest minimum time.

2. To use any available manpower, equipment, and other resources effectively.

3. To complete the project with a minimum capital investment without causing undue delay.

In order for management to function effectively in realizing the above-cited objectives, a project
planning system like PERT/CPM must be used to decide on the most viable alternatives to use in utilizing its
full resources such as money, manpower, facilities, and equipment. PERT/CPM is a planning/scheduling tool
that will tell the management how to build a project on a pre-determined set of activities and number of
months/days at a proj ected cost.

C.I Definition of Terms

Critical Path - is the longest route in the network of activities representing a proj ect. The sum of the
activities' duration along this route is the duration of the project. In other words, the total time required to
complete a proj ect is numerically equal to the length of this longest route called critical path. Activities along
the critical path are called critical activities of the project. Any delay in the completion of any critical activity
will result in the delay of the entire proj ect.
There may be more than one critical path in a network and the critical path may shift as the proj ect
moves toward completion.

Earliest Event Time- is the earliest time occurrence of an event sometimes called Early Event Time. It
is the earliest time an event can happen without delaying the Earliest Start of any activity.
The Earliest Event time is numerically equal to the longest path of activities in series from the project
start to the finish. Unless specified, The Earliest Event Time of the starting event is assumed to be zero.

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The Earliest Start or Early Start, ES of an activity cannot be earlier than the earliest event time of the
event. In other words, The Earliest Start of any activity is always equal to the Earliest Event at the beginning
of an arrow, which is sometimes called the i-node. The point of an arrow is called j-node. The Earliest Start
of the first activity is assumed to be zero.

i - node O j - node

The Earliest Finish or Early Finish, EF of an activity is equal to its Earliest Start plus its duration or
time. Therefore:

EF = ES + Duration

Latest Event Time- is the latest time the event may occur without delaying project completion. It is
numerically equal to the length of the critical path minus the longest path from the project end event to the
event in question.

Latest Finish or Late Finish, LF of an activity cannot be later than the latest event time of its jnode.ln
short, all activities with the same j-node have the same late finish which is the same as the latest event time at
their common node. The Latest Finish of the last activity is assumed equal to the Earliest
Finish of the last activity.

Latest Start LS plus Duration equals the Latest Finish LF.

LS+D=LF or
LS = LF - D
Activity Total Float or Activity Total Slack - is the span of time an activity(non-critical) can be delayed
after its earliest start time without delaying the project completion. It is numerically equal to the total time for
the activity minus the activity duration.

Total Float = LF -EF or

Total Float = LS - ES
Activity Free Float - is the span of time an activity can be delayed after its Early Start without delaying
the Earliest Start of any succeeding actual activity that may be availed of and still allow its succeeding real
activities to begin at their Earliest Start time.
Activity Free Float is numerically equal to the Early Start (ES) at the i-node of the next succeeding
real activity minus the Earliest Finish (EF) of an activity in question.

Free Float = ESnext - (ES + D)

C.2 Computing the Early Start and the Early Finish (in the Forward Pass)

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ES = Early Start time of activity. This is assuming that all preceding activities start at the earliest
time. For the first activity, Early Start time is assumed as zero.
EF = Early Finish time of activity

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Rules in Computing The ES and the EF
Rule 1: The Early Finish (EF) for any activity is equal to its earliest starting time (ES) plus its expected
duration time t.

EF = ES+t
Rule 2: For nodes with one entering arrow, ES for activities at such node is equal to EF of the
entering arrow. In short, the Early Start ES for the next activity is equal to the Early Finish EF of
the previous activity.
ESnext = EFprevious
For nodes with multiple entering arrows, the ES for activities leaving such node is equal to
the largest EF of the entering arrows.

ESnext = largest EFprevious

Illustrative Problem:
Example I

Given the following activities with their durations (in weeks) in the network diagram,

a) Compute the value of early start ES and early finish EF for each activity in the Forward Pass.

b) What is the project duration?

c) Compute late start LS and late finish LF for each activity in the Backward Pass.

d)Compute the total float or slack for each activity.

e) Determine the critical path and the critical activities.

Start

Network diagram

Solution: Using Activity On Node (AON) Notation

(The activities A, B, C, D, E, F, and G are on the rectangular nodes.)

Forward Pass [Working from left (Start) node to right (End) node]

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ES activi

duration

LEGEND:

10 10 18
c 18 22
10 8
4

O 10 D 23
Start

O
End

o B 6 6 E 18
Network 12
Diagram
(Fonvard Pass

a) Computing early start ES and early finish EF in the Forward Pass.

l . Assume an ES=O for starting activities like A and B. ESA= O; ESB = O

2. Compute EF for starting activities A and B

EF = ES + duration
EFA= O + 10 EFB = o + 6

3. The early finish EFA = 10 will become the early start of activities C and D.

ESC = 10; ESD= 10

Likewise, EFB = 6 will become ES of succeeding activity E.

ESE 6

4 Activity G has 3 predecessor activities F, D, and E with EF of 22, 23, and 18

respectively. The biggest EF = 23 becomes the ES of G.

5. EF of last activity G becomes EF ( early finish) of project or expected project duration.

b) Project duration

Proj ect duration is the early finish of the last activity G.

EFG = 23 + 2 = 25 weeks = expected project duration

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c) Backward Pass (Working from right to left)

C.3 Computing Late Start Time, Late Finish Time

ES activi

LS duration
LEGEND

A 10 10 18 18 F 22
c
10 10
O
10 D 23
10 13 23 23 G 25
23 2 25
o B 6
6 E 18
5 6 11
11 12 23

o
Start
End

Network diagram (Backward Pass

6. Early Finish of last activity G automatically becomes Late Finish of last activity G.

Thus, LFG = EFG - 25 weeks

7. Compute Late Start time, LS

From LF LS + duration

Then, LS = LF - duration

Thus, LSG= 25 - 2 = 23
8. LSG 23 becomes the LF of activities F, D, and E.
9. LFA is the smaller LS of activities C and D.

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 MODULE 03: Planning and Scheduling (PERT/CPM)
CMPM 423 S.Y. 2021 -2022, 2 nd Semester

LSC 11; LSD = 10; Therefore, LFA smaller= 10.

10. SLSA = LFA- duration

d) Tabulate the results.

C.4 Solving Float or Slack Time:

Float or Slack time = LS -ES or LF -EF
ACTIVITY DURATION ES LS FLOAT/SLACK CRITICAL
weeks ACTIVITY
10 10 0 10 critical
6 0 6 5 11 5 non-critical

8 10 18 11 19 1 non-critical

13 10 23 10 23 critical
12 6 18 11 23 5 non-critical

4 18 22 19 23 1 non-critical

2 23 25 23 25 critical
C.5 Identifying the Critical Activities; the Critical Path
e) The activities with zero slack time are the critical activities.

The critical activities are A, D, and G. Any delay in the completion of any critical activity will surely
delay the proj ect completion time.
The critical path is the path formed by joining together all the critical activities from the start node to
the end node. The critical path is path A-D-G having 25 days expected project duration.

Example 2:
Given the following information:

a) Construct the network diagram.

b) Compute early start and early finish time for each activity.

c) What is the proj ect duration?

d) Compute late start, late finish, and total float time for each activity.

e) Determine the critical path and critical activities.

Activities Time Duration in weeks
1-2 (A) Excavation 3

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 MODULE 03: Planning and Scheduling (PERT/CPM)
CMPM 423 S.Y. 2021 -2022, 2 nd Semester

2-3 B CHB Walls 8

2-4 C Foundations/Columns 6
3-4 D Ground Slab 5

4-5 Electrical/Plumbin Services 3

4-6 Construction of 2nd Floor Beams and Slabs 8

5-7 G Electrical/Plumbin Fixtures 5

6-7 Roof Framin and Roofin 6

7-8 1 Paintin and Finishin Works 7

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 MODULE 03: Planning and Scheduling (PERT/CPM)

CMPM 423 S.Y. 2021-2022, 2 nd Semester

Solution:
a) Construct the network diagram.

Activity on Arrow (AOA) Notation Network Diagram

Note: When computing early start ES, early finish EF, late start LS, late finish LF, it is easier to use
Activity on Node (AON) Notation.

Using AON Notation:

b) Compute early start ES and early finish EF of each activity in the Forward Pass.

Assume an early start ES = 0 for first activity A.

3
e
ne
g
o
g
a
g ouo
o
g
e 9 F 17
6

e ago

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 MODULE 03: Planning and Scheduling (PERT/CPM)
CMPM 423 S.Y. 2021 -2022, 2 nd Semester

Activity on Node (AON) Network diagram (Forward Pass)

c) The proj ect duration is the early finish of the last activity I. The early finish of activity I is 30, Therefore,
the project duration is 30 weeks.

d) Compute late start LS and late finish LF in the Backward Pass )

Beginning with last activity I, Assume a late finish = to its early finish =30.

36
9
Activity on Node (AON) Network diagram (Backward Pass)

d)Tabulate the results. Total Float = LS -ES or Total Float = LF - EF

Activi Durati on ES LS Total Float Critical Activi

3 o 3 3 critical
8 3 11 5 13 2 non-critical

6 3 9 3 9 critical
c
5 11 16 13 18 2 non-critical

3 9 12 15 18 6 non-critical

8 9 17 9 17 critical
5 16 21 18 23 2 non-critical

6 17 23 17 23 critical
1 7 23 30 23 30 0 critical
e) The activities with zero slack time are the critical activities.

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 MODULE 03: Planning and Scheduling (PERT/CPM)

CMPM 423 S.Y. 2021-2022, 2 nd Semester

The critical activities are A, C, F, H, and I. Any delay in the completion of any critical activity will
surely delay the proj ect completion time.
The critical path is the path formed by joining together all the critical activities from the start node to
the end node. The critical path is path A-C-F-H-I having 30 weeks expected project duration.

G. References

l. Proj ect Management for Engineering and Construction by Garold D. Oberlender [Chapter 8 — Project
Scheduling
2. Construction Project Management Module by Engr. Duya (2020)
3. Construction Management by Max B. Fajardo Jr. [Chapter 7, pg 7-9]
4. Construction Management by Garold D. Oberlender [Chapter 6, pg. 99 - 1 17]
5. Construction Management by Garold D. Oberlender [Chapter 8, pg. 139 - 183]
6. Construction Management by Max B. Fajardo Jr. [Chapter 3-4, pg. 51 - 84]

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