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How to use the critical path method
- CPM provides visibility into your project’s progress.
- At times, a project deadline may e pushed up with fast-tracking (parallel processes speed up overall duration) and crashing (allocating more resources to speed up activities.)
- Resolve resource shortages. When there is a resource shortage, like an overbooked team member or lack of equipment, you can use resource levelling techniques to solve the issue.
- Compile data for future use.
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Calculate the float
Float, or slack, refers to a given task's flexibility. It shows how much the task can be delayed without impacting subsequent tasks or the end date of the project. Critical tasks have zero float. Their dates are set.
How to determine the two types of float:
- T...
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Calculate the critical path
Calculating the critical path can be done manually, but a critical path algorithm can save time.
Step 1: Write down the start and end time next to each activity. The first activity time is 0 and the end time is the duration of the activity. The next acitity start at the pre...
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Estimate task duration
To calculate the longest sequence of critical tasks, you need to estimate the duration of each activity.
How to estimate the duration:
- Make educated guesses based on previous experience and knowledge.
- Estimate based on previous project data.
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Create a network diagram
A network diagram is a flowchart that shows the chronology of activities.
Create a box for each task and use arrows to show task dependencies. Add other time-bound components to the network diagram until a general project schedule is worked out.
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Identify dependencies
From your work breakdown structure, determine which tasks are dependent on one another to identify any work that can be done in parallel with other tasks. The dependent tasks, known as an activity sequence, will be used to determine the critical path.
For example, a marketing team is produc...
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How to find the critical path
Finding the critical path involves looking at the duration of critical and non-critical tasks:
CPM steps:
- List activities
- Identify dependencies
- Create a network diagram
- Estimate task duration
- Calcula...
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Creating a project roadmap
The critical path method (CPM) was developed in the late 1950s to resolve the problem of increased costs due to inefficient scheduling.
The technique can help you identify and map out critical tasks you need for project completion. The critical path is the longest sequence of tasks that mus...
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CPM provides valuable insight
CPM helps to plan projects, allocate resources and schedule tasks.
CPM benefits:
- Improves future planning: CPM can be used to compare expectations with actual progress. Current data can inform future project plans.
- Effective resou...
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List activites
List all the project activities or tasks required to produce the deliverables of each task.
The list of activities in the work breakdown structure serves as the foundation for the rest of the CPM.
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