Critical Path Analysis

Determining the Project Schedule

Perform a Critical Path Analysis

 The critical path is the longest path through
the network
 The critical path is the shortest time in
which the project can be completed
 Any delay in critical path activities delays
the project
 Critical path activities have no slack time
 Critical Path Analysis

• Provides activity information

• Earliest (ES) & latest (LS) start
• Earliest (EF) & latest (LF) finish
• Slack (S): Allowable delay
• Identifies critical path
• Longest path in network
• Shortest time project can be completed
• Any delay on activities delays project
• Activities have 0 slack
 Critical Path Analysis
Example
Event Time
Pred. Description
ID (Wks)
A None Prepare Site 1
B A Pour fdn. & frame 6
C B Buy shrubs etc. 3
D B Roof 2
E D Do interior work 3
F C Landscape 4
G E,F Move In 1
 Network Solution

B
B D
D E
E

A 6 2 3
A G
G
1 1
C
C FF
3 4
 Earliest Start & Finish Steps

• Begin at starting event & work forward

• ES = 0 for starting activities
• ES is earliest start
• EF = ES + Activity time
• EF is earliest finish
• ES = Maximum EF of all predecessors for
non-starting activities
 Activity A
Earliest Start Solution

Activity ES EF LS LF Slack
A 0 1
B B
B D
D E
E
C
D
A
A 6 2 3 G
G
E 1 1
C
C FF
F
3 4
For
For starting
starting activities,
activities, ES
ES == 0.
0.
 Earliest Start Solution

Activity ES EF LS LF Slack
A 0 1
B 1 7 B D E
C 1 4
B D E
D 7 9 A
A 6 2 3 G
G
E 9 12
1 C FF 1
F 4 8 C
G 12 13
3 4
 Latest Start & Finish Steps

• Begin at ending event & work backward

• LF = Maximum EF for ending activities
• LF is latest finish; EF is earliest finish
• LS = LF - Activity time
• LS is latest start
• LF = Minimum LS of all successors for non-
ending activities
 Earliest Start Solution

Activity ES EF LS LF Slack
A 0 1
B 1 7
B
B D
D E
E
C 1 4 A
A 6 2 3 G
G
D 7 9
E 9 12
1 C
C FF 1
F 4 8 3 4
G 12 13 13
 Latest Finish Solution

Activity ES EF LS LF Slack
A BB0 DD EE1 0 1
B AA 61 2 73 G 1 7
G
C 1 4 1
4 7
1 CC FF
D 7 9 7 9
3 4
E 9 12 9 12
F 4 8 7 12
G 12 13 12 13
 Compute Slack

Activity ES EF LS LF Slack
A 0 1 0 1 0
B 1 7 1 7 0
C 1 4 5 8 4
D 7 9 7 9 0
E 9 12 9 12 0
F 4 8 8 12 4
G 12 13 12 13 0
 Critical Path

BB D
D EE
A
A 6 2 3 G
G
1 1
C
C FF
3 4
 New notation
ES EF

C
C 77
LS LF

• Compute ES, EF for each activity, Left to

Right
• Compute, LF, LS, Right to Left
 EXAMPLE

C
C 77 FF 88

A
A 21
21 G
G 22

BB 55 D
D 22 EE 55
 EXAMPLE
21 28 28 36
C
C 77 FF 88
0 21 36 38
A
A 21
21 G
G 22
21 26 26 28 28 33
BB 55 D
D 22 EE 55
F cannot start until C and D are done.
G cannot start until both E and F are done.
 EXAMPLE
21 28 28 36
C
C 77 FF 88
21 28 28 36
0 21 36 38
A
A 21
21 G
G 22
0 21 36 38
21 26 26 28 28 33
BB 55 D
D 22 EE 55
21 26 26 28 31 36
E just has to be done in time for G to start at 36, so it has slack.
D has to be done in time for F to go at 28, so it has no slack.
 CLASS ACTIVITY
Immediate Duration
Activity Description
Predecessor (weeks)
A Develop product specifications None 4
B Design manufacturing process A 6
C Source & purchase materials A 3
D Source & purchase tooling & equipment B 6
E Receive & install tooling & equipment D 14
F Receive materials C 5
G Pilot production run E&F 2
H Evaluate product design G 2
I Evaluate process performance G 3
J Write documentation report H&I 4
K Transition to manufacturing J 2
CLASS ACTIVITY