Project Management

Presented by
Azhar Ullah Ansari and Saira Khurram
Welcome!!
CRITICAL PATH METHOD
 Critical Path - Definition
 Critical path in project management is a project modeling
technique.
 The critical path is the longest length of time it will take to
complete the project tasks or,
 It is the longest path through the network diagram.
 It first developed in late 1950s by Morgan R. Walker of DuPont
and James E. Kelley of Remington Rand.
 Critical Path Method
 Critical Path Method (CPM) - also called Critical Path Analysis –
is a project network analysis technique used to predict total
project duration.
 Very important tool that helps you combat project schedule
overruns.
 CPM for a project is the series of activities that determine the
earliest time by which the project can be completed.
 Critical Path Method
 Slack and float are the same thing.
They can be used interchangeably.
 Slack or float is the amount of time an
activity can be delayed without
impacting other activities or the project
end date.

The critical path has no slack or float by definition.

However, the non-critical path(s) contains the
float.
 Critical Path Method
 Since there exists only one path through the network that is
the longest, the other paths must either be equal or
shorter.
 Therefore, there are activities that can be completed
before the time when they are actually needed.
 The time between scheduled completion date and required
date to meet critical path is referred as the slack time.
 Critical Path Method
 The use of slack time provides better resource scheduling.
 It is also used as warning sign i.e. if available slack begins
to decrease then activity is taking longer than anticipated.

FLOAT
EST LFT
Activity

LST EFT
 Critical Path Method
 If one or more of the activities on the critical path takes longer
than planned, the whole project schedule will slip unless the
project manager takes corrective action.
 Its name includes the word critical does not mean that it
includes all critical activities…it is concerned only with the time
dimension of the project with all activities.
 Free Slack and Total Slack
Free Slack Total Slack

 Also called as Free Float.  Also called as Total Float.

Free Float/Total Float = Late Finish Time – Earliest Finish Time

Or
Free Float/Total Float = Late Start Time – Earliest Start Time
 Free Slack and Total Slack
 Free Slack and Total Slack can be calculated by doing a
forward and backward pass through a network diagram.
 A forward pass determines the early start and early
finish dates for each activity.
 A backward pass determines the late start and late
finish dates for each activity.
 Determining Critical Path
 In order to find the critical path, we need to determine
the following quantities for each activity in the network.
 Earliest Start Time (EST)
 Earliest Finish Time (EFT)
 Late Start Time (LST)
 Late Finish Time (LFT)
 Start and Finish Times
Earliest Start Time (EST)
The earliest time an activity
can begin without violation
of immediate predecessor
requirements.
Late Start Time (LST)
The late time an activity
can begin without delaying
the entire project.
Earliest Finish Time (EFT)
The earliest time at which
an activity can end.
Late Finish Time (LFT)
The late time an activity can
end without delaying the
entire project.
Calculating Earliest Start Time
 Start with the first node, which has time 0.
 If only one arrow leads into a node, EST at that node is EST for
previous node + time estimate.
A B
5 2
EST=0 EST=5 EST=7

 If more than one arrow leads to a node, the EST of the node is the
largest time value of the separate paths.

EST=5 C
2
EST=7
D
EST=3 3
 Project Duration
 When all the ESTs have been calculated, the EST at the
last node is the project duration.
 The project duration is also the LFT of the last node.
 The calculation is then ‘reversed’ to previous nodes for
the LFT values.
 Calculating Late Finish Time
 Start with the last node, which has LFT = project duration
 If only one arrow originates from a node, LFT at that node is LFT for
next node – time estimate.
E F
3 1
LFT=6 LFT=9 LFT=10

 If more than one arrow originates at a node, the LFT of the node is the
smallest time value of the separate paths.
G LFT=12
3
LFT=5
H
5 LFT=10
 Check your knowledge
The meaning of ‘slack’ in a network diagram is:

A. The difference between the earliest and late start times

B. The difference between the earliest and late finish times
C. The difference between the earliest start time and the
late finish time
D. The difference between the late start time and the earliest
finish time
E. Both A and B
 Review Question
You have an activity in your project plan having following data:
 Earliest Start Time (EST) = day 5
 Latest Finish Time (LFT) = day 30
 Duration = 10 days
 Calculate
 Latest Start Time (LST) = ?
 Earliest Finish Time (EFT)= ?
 Float=? FLOAT = ?
EST LFT
Activity Duration = 10 days

LST = ? EFT = ?
 Critical Path Example
Activity Name Duration
 Legend
EST EFT
LST LFT

A 2

0 0+2=2

Start
B 3

0 0+3=3
 Critical Path Example
Activity Predecessor Duration (days)
A - 2
B - 3
C A 2
D B 4
E C 4
F C 3
G D,E 5
H F,G 2
Critical Path Example
Critical Path Example
 Critical Path Example
Activity EST EFT LST LFT Slack On
(LST-EST) Critical
Path
A 0 2 0 2 0 Yes
B 0 3 1 4 1 No
C 2 4 2 4 0 Yes
D 3 7 4 8 1 No
E 4 8 4 8 0 Yes
F 4 7 10 13 6 No
G 8 13 8 13 0 Yes
H 13 15 13 15 0 Yes
Critical Path Example
 References
 https://pmstudycircle.com/2014/01/critical-path-method-cpm-in-proje
ct-management
/
 https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/understanding-critical-path-pro
ject-management
 Web Resources
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oDLMs11Exs
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmCc5VIMOro&t=53s
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDa-Fq5jeuM
Thank you