BUS. PROJECT MANAGEMENT – Professor Fred Pentney. Supplement WK. P. of

Critical Path calculation Network diagram/scheduling

The network diagram below is from the Gido book case on page 159 –Consumer Market Study.

The boxes that you see are expanded versions of the yellow stickies we used in the House Build exercise. These boxes are called P.E.R.T. boxes because they provide seven pieces of information needed to calculate all the scheduling variables. E.g.

What is the Task #, how long is the task scheduled time, when is the earliest we can start and finish the tasks, and when is the latest we can start and finish the tasks? Also, we can from using the provided #’s determine is there is any flexibility as to when tasks can be started or finished-this is called Float or Slack.

When we have calculated the time in six boxes we can then determine the critical path. This is the path in which there is not Float in the boxes, or the Longest path.

Exercise:

Add up the task time for each path and calculate the longest path, which will also be the length of the project.

We will replicate this exercise in the computer lab. Using MS Project. You can use the Task list on page 156 and create your own diagram and see if the software produces the same answer. Use P. 138 for Predecessors.

If you prefer to use the easier House Build exercise from last week you can start with that. Use the attached MS Project start up list to help you set up the software.

ÓDyna-form 2004 F. Pentney Successful Project Management, Gido and Clements, P. 159