PRJ566 Project Planning & Management

Network Diagrams & Critical Path

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Agenda

Where are we? Identifying Dependencies Critical Path

Where are we?

Identified work breakdown structure (WBS) Estimated tasks Assigned resources

Agenda

Where are we? Identifying Dependencies Critical Path

Identifying Dependencies

Task A is said to be dependent on task B if task B must precede task A (task B must be finished before task A can start) Task B is called a predecessor of task A Task A can have many predecessors Only immediate predecessors are referred to as predecessors

Identifying Dependencies

In a project plan, all tasks have at least one predecessor and one successor task (with the exception of the start and end tasks) Shows the sequence in which the project work needs to be done

Identifying Dependencies

Task 1.5.3 can not start until 1.5.2 is finished

Network Diagram

A pictorial representation of the sequence in which the project work can be done Shows the relationships (dependencies) between tasks

Network Diagram

What order to I do these tasks in?

Network Diagram

1.1 Measure Room 1.3 Create Materials List 1.4 Create Estimate Sheet 1.5 Review with client

2 Purchase Materials

4 Paint Room 3.2 Wash Walls 3.3 Cover Floors

1.2 Choose colors

3.1 Move Furniture

4 Paint Room

5.1 Clean up

5.2 Remove Floor Covers

Network Diagram = Gantt Chart

1.1
1.3 1.2 1.4 1.5

2 4 3.1 3.2 3.3

5.1

5.2

Identifying Dependencies

Why are dependencies important?

You can plan more effectively--you can see the relationship between activities Easier to reschedule--you can see impact of changes Allows you to monitor and control the project--compare it against baseline

Identifying Dependencies

Dependencies are caused by constraints:

Management Inter-Project

Agenda

Where are we? Identifying Dependencies Critical Path

Critical Path

A Network Diagram is a tool for identifying all the possible paths through a project. The paths are dictated by the dependencies. To determine critical path in a network diagram, identify all the possible paths through the network diagram and add up the durations of the activities that lie along those paths. The path with the longest duration time is the critical path.

Critical Path

Given a list of tasks and dependencies as shown below, a network diagram can be constructed.
Task ID Description Start Find Client Find System Gather Requirements Create Use Case Diagram Create Use Case Descriptions Review with User Duration 0 3 days 2 days 6 days 2 days 5 days 1 day Predec essor None 0 0 1,2 3 3 1,4

0 1

2
3 4 5 6

Network Diagram
6 Review With User

1 Find Client 3 0 Start 2 Find System 2

4 Create Use Case Diagram 2 3 Gather Requirements 6 5 Create Use Case Descriptions 5

Slack/Float time

Need to understand the slack time of an activity. Slack time:

The difference between the late finish and early finish of an activity.

Two types of slack time: free slack and total slack.

Slack/Float time

Free Slack: range in which task can finish without causing delay in early schedule of immediate successors Total Slack: range in which task can finish without causing delay to project completion

Network Diagram
6 Review With User

1 Find Client 3 0 Start 2 Find System 2

4 Create Use Case Diagram 2 3 Gather Requirements 6 5 Create Use Case Descriptions 5

If task 1 above takes 3 days and task 2 takes 2 days, then there is 1 day of slack (free slack).

Slack Time
Slack Time
1.2 2 1

Duration
2.1 2 0 1 2.2 0 1 1 2.4 2 0

Slack
1.5

1.1 0

1 1.3 1 2

1.4

3
0

2.3

1 1

Critical Path

To calculate critical path:

Total the durations of every path. Largest value is the critical path.

Critical Path
Task/Activity
1.1+1.2+1.5+2.1+2.4

Values
1+2+1+2+2 8

Total
7
7 7 6 6 9 8 8

1.1+1.2+1.5+2.2+2.4
1.1+1.2+1.5+2.3+2.4 1.1+1.3+1.5+2.1+2.4 1.1+1.3+1.5+2.2+2.4 1.1+1.3+1.5+2.3+2.4 1.1+1.4+1.5+2.1+2.4 1.1+1.4+1.5+2.1+2.4 1.1+1.4+1.5+2.3+2.4

1+2+1+1+2
1+2+1+1+2 1+1+1+2+2 1+1+1+1+2 1+1+1+1+2 1+3+1+2+2 1+3+1+1+2 1+3+1+1+2

Critical Path!

Critical Path
1.2 2 1 2.1 2 0 1.5 1.3 1 2 1 2.2 0 1 1 2.4 2 0

1.1 0

1.4

3
0

2.3

1 1

Task 1.2 can slip by 1 day; Task 1.3 can slip by 2 days

Task 2.2 can slip by 1 day; Task 2.3 can slip by 1 day

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