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1.

Activities have a start and end, and consume resources.

Events typically designate the start or completion of an activity and do not consume

resources.

A path traces the predecessor-successor relationship that exist among activities and events

and have a starting even and a completion event.

Dummy activity are nothing and are simply used to maintain predecessor-successor

relationships.

Work-Experience Application: When I was in my previous company, our project

management would give us a brief schedule and a diagram which includes all relationship

with our clients or subcontractors for our project. Those documents could let us know what

we should do right now and who we should find when we need help or ask. If we wanted

to trace something, these documents could help us locate easily.

10.

The most common approach to project scheduling is the use of network techniques such as

PERT and CPM. The Program evaluation and review technique was developed by the US

navy in cooperation with Booz Allen Hamilton and the Lockheed Corporation for the

Polaris missile/submarine project in 1958. And the Critical path method was developed by

the DuPont.

PERT is commonly used for R&D projects whereas CPM is used in construction industry.

Use of PERT has been decreased in the recent years and a large majority of Project

management generates CPM networks.

Originally, PERT used to determine the probability of the project completion date. CPM

used to control both the time and cost aspects of the project. Both techniques identified the

critical path with activities that could not be delayed without lengthening the project

completion time.

In 2005, the project management institute renamed PERT as ADM i.e “Arrow diagram

method” and CPM as PDM i.e “Precedence diagram method”. In general, they are referred

to either as a “network,” but if we refer specifically to a PERT network where the activities

are shown as arrows on the network, then they are called as AOA (activity-on-arrow)
network, and if we refer to a CPM network where the activities are shown as nodes then

they are called as AON (activity-on-node) network.

Constructing the Network, AON Version

It always begins with a node called “Start”. Activities ‘a’ and ‘b’ have no predecessors

so the arrows should be drawn out of START to each of them

The arrowheads show the direction of precedence. Activity ‘c’ follows ‘a’, activity ‘d’

follows b, and activity ‘e’ also follows ‘b’.

Now, activity ‘f’ follows both ‘c’ and ‘d’. The WBS does not indicate any further activity

is required to complete the task, so we have reached the end of this particular plan. We thus

draw arrows from activities ‘e’ and ‘f’ to the node END,
Constructing the Network, AOA Version

Again begin with the node called “Start”. Activities ‘a’ and ‘b’ have no predecessors

so we draw arrows labeled ‘a’ and ‘b’ from Start and terminating in circle shaped nodes

numbered 1 and 2.

Activity ‘c’ follows ‘a’, activity ‘d’ follows ‘b’, and activity ‘e’ also follows ‘b’. Let’s add

these arrows to our AOA network, labeling the arrows and nodes sequentially.

Activity ‘f’ must follow both ‘c’ and ‘d’, but any given activity must have its source in one

and only one node. Therefore, ‘c’ and ‘d’ must terminate at the same node. So we need to
erase activity ‘d’ and its node and redraw ‘d’ to end at the same node that terminates ‘c’.

Then we need to add activity ‘e’ following ‘b’, and ‘f’ following ‘c’ and ‘d’. Because ‘e’

and ‘f’ have no successors, they will terminate at the END node.

The choice between Activity on Arrow and Activity on node is largely a matter of personal

preference. AON is used in PC based commercially available computer software and AON

networks are easier to draw than the AOA because they sometimes require use of dummy

activity to aid in indicating a particular precedence via a dashed arc. A dummy activity has

no duration and uses no resources. Its purpose is to indicate a technological relationship.

AOA networks clearly identify events in the network.

Work-Experience Application: In my previous experience, I seldom saw network diagrams.

I only saw them once or twice when I got into a task force meeting room. Rarely team

members could get into the meeting room, so that's why I only saw them once or twice.
For our company, this diagram is not essential and not useful. We usually use Gantt

charting and Slack for our projects.