Activity-on-Node Fundamentals

Activity-on-Node Fundamentals (cont’d)

Network Information
Koll Business Center—Partial Network

Activity Predecessor
A None
B A
C A
D A
E B,C
F B,C,D
G F
H E,G
Koll Business Center—Complete Network

Activity Predecessor
A None
B A
C A
D A
E B,C
F B,C,D
G F
H E,G
Network Computation Process
• Forward Pass—Earliest Times
• How soon can the activity start? (early start—ES)
• How soon can the activity finish? (early finish—EF)
• How soon can the project finish? (expected time—ET)
• Backward Pass—Latest Times
• How late can the activity start? (late start—LS)
• How late can the activity finish? (late finish—LF)
• Which activities represent the critical path?
• How long can it be delayed? (slack or float—SL)
Network Information
Activity-on-Node Network
 Add activity times along each
path in the network (ES +
Duration = EF).

Forward Pass Carry the early finish (EF) to the

next activity where it becomes
Computation its early start (ES) unless…

The next succeeding activity is a

merge activity, in which case
the largest EF of all preceding
activities is selected.
Activity-on-Node Network Forward Pass
 Subtract activity times along
each path in the network (LF -
Duration = LS).

Backward Carry the late start (LS) to the

Pass next activity where it becomes
Computation its late finish (LF) unless

The next succeeding activity is a

burst activity, in which case the
smallest LS of all preceding
activities is selected.
Activity-on-Node Network Backward Pass
 • Free slack
• The amount of time an activity can
be delayed without delaying the
successor activity. Amount of time
an activity can exceed the early
finish date without affecting the
Determining early start date of the successor.
Slack (or • Total slack
• The amount of time an activity can be
Float) delayed without delaying the entire
project. (LS-ES or LF-EF)

• The critical path is the network path(s)

that has (have) the least slack in
common.
Activity-on-Node Network with Slack
 • Network Logic Errors
• Activity Numbering
Practical • Use of Computers to Develop Networks
Considerations • Calendar Dates
• Multiple Starts and Multiple Projects
 • A method for arranging activities within
Precedence a project plan.
Diagramming • It is a method of creating a project
schedule network diagram that uses
Method boxes, known as nodes, to represent
(PDM) tasks and link them to arrows showing
the dependencies.
 Finish-to-Start (FS)

Start-to-Start (SS)
Precedence
Diagramming
Relationships
Finish-to-Finish (FF)

Start-to-Finish (SF)
Precedence Diagramming Relationships
(cont’d)

• Finish-to-Start (FS) is
the most common
dependency type
used between
activities. Successor
activity can't begin
before a predecessor
activity completes.
Precedence Diagramming Relationships
(cont’d)

• Start-to-Start
(SS) successor
activity cannot be
started until the
predecessor starts.
Both activities start
simultaneously.
Precedence Diagramming Relationships
(cont’d)

• Finish-to-Finish (FF)
successor activity
should be completed
until the predecessor
is finished. Both
activities to be
finished
simultaneously.
Precedence Diagramming Relationships
(cont’d)

• Start-to-Finish (SF)
Successor Activity
cannot finish until a
Predecessor Activity
starts. Next activity
can finish only after
first activity starts.
 • Lags
• Amount of time a successor activity is
Extended to be delayed with respect to a
predecessor activity.
Network • Leads
Techniques • Amount of time a successor activity is
to be advanced with respect to a
to Come predecessor activity.

Close to Can be used to constrain finish-to-start,

Reality start-to-start, finish-to-finish, start-to-
finish, or combination relationships
Use of Lags
Finish-to-Start Relationship

Start-to-Start Relationship
Use of Lags (cont’d)

Finish-to-Finish
Relationship

Start-to-Finish
Relationship
Network Using Lags
Extended • Laddering
Network
Techniques • Activities are broken into segments
so the following activity can begin
to Come sooner and not delay the work.
Close to • Can help in reducing the planned
total duration of a project.
Reality
Example of Laddering Using
Finish-to-Start Relationship
 • Hammock Activity
• An activity that spans over a
segment of a project.
• Duration of hammock activities is
Hammock determined after the network plan
is drawn.
Activities
• Hammock activities are used to
aggregate sections of the project to
facilitate getting the right amount
of detail for specific sections of a
project.
Hammock Activity Example