Precedence

Diagramming

Scheduling
Terminology
Work Breakdown
Structure
(WBS)

A deliverable oriented hierarchical decomposition of the

work to be executed by the project team to accomplish
the team mission and create the required deliverables.
Teamscope.
Mission
The WBS defines the project

Scheduling
Terminology
Deliverable

Any unique and verifiable product or result that must be

produced to complete a project. Usually the lowest level
of the WBS.
Team Mission

Scheduling
Terminology
Scheduled
Activity (task)

A component of work performed to create a deliverable.

Activity List
(Schedule)

WBS
(Scope)

Team Mission

Task 1
Task 2
(Etc.)

Task 1
Task 2
(Etc.)

Task 1
Task 2
(Etc.)

Task 1
Task 2
(Etc.)

Task 1
Task 2
(Etc.)

Task 1
Task 2
(Etc.)

Scheduling
DurationTerminology

Total number of work periods required to complete a

scheduled activity. Usually expressed as workdays.
(contrast with effort)

Effort

Total number of labor units requird to complete a

scheduled activity. Usually expressed as staff hours or a
rate. (contrast with duration)

Schedule Milestone

A significant event in the project schedule, such as an

event restraining future work or marking the completion
of a major deliverable. A measuring point. Milestones
have 0 (zero) duration and no resource assignments.

Basic Bar Chart

(Gantt Chart)

Defining
Activities/Tasks
Definition
Assignme
nt
Significan
ce
7

Task
Interdependencies
Task Interdependencies
Specify Task
Relationships
All tasks are Related To:
Other Schedule Activities
Mandatory or Hard Logic
Discretionary or Soft
Logic

External Events
Dependent Dates
Required Dates

Network Diagram
8

Types of Task
Relationships

FS Finish Start

Finish Start
SS Start Start
StartStart
FF Finish Finish
FinishFinish

Leads and Lags

Normal
Finish Start
Finish Start
Finish - Start Modified by a Lead Modified by a Lag

Lead and Lag are used to Modify Relationships

Lead and Lag Can be used with any Relationship
Type (FS, FF, SS)
10

Arrow Diagram Method

(ADM)

Tasks represented (aka

by arrows
(length on
not related
Activity
Arrowto duration)
AOA)
Dependency shown as node
Only F-S relationship used
Archaic not used with current software
2

7
3
6

4
Dummy task used to complete logic, duration of 0

11

Precedence Diagram
Method (PDM)

Tasks
represented
byon
nodes
(aka
Activity
Node AON and Network Diagram)
Dependency shown as arrows or links between nodes
All task relationships can be used (FS, FF, SS)
Basis for all current software applications

D
F

B
E
C

12

Critical Path
Sequence of scheduled activities that determines the project
duration
Longest duration path through the project network
Activities on the Critical Path are called Critical Activities
Critical activities have no float or slack
A project can have more than one critical path
Activities not on the Critical Path are called Non Critical
Activities
To shorten the project duration, a scheduler must modify the
critical path activities or dependencies
13

Float (or Slack)

Total Float the total amount of time that a scheduled
activity (or milestone) may be delayed or extended without
delaying the project end date or violating a schedule
constraint.
Free Float the amount of time that a scheduled activity (or
milestone) can be delayed without delaying the start of the
next activity in the network.
Negative Float the amount of time that by which a critical
activity (or milestone) misses a required date.
14

Critical Path Method

1. Calculate Early Start & Early
Finish dates (FORWARD PASS)
2. Calculate Late Start & Late
Finish dates (BACKWARD PASS)
3. Calculate TOTAL FLOAT for
each activity
4. Identify activities with 0 (zero)
TOTAL FLOAT
15

WBS Code

Activity

Early Start (ES)

Duration

Early Finish (EF)

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF)

Activity
Node

16

Simple Project consisting of 5 Tasks

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity A

Duration

WBS Code Activity

Late Start (LS)

Early Start (ES)

Late Finish (LF)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity B

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

WBS Code Activity

Total Float (TF) =

Early Start (ES)

Early Finish (EF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Activity C

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

Late Start (LS)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity D

Duration

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

17

TWO THINGS
NEEDED TO
SET PROJECT
START DATE

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity A

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

1. First and last

activities
(milestones)
2. Activity durations
18

Critical Path Method

1. Calculate Early Start & Early
Finish dates (FORWARD PASS)
2. Calculate Late Start & Late
Finish dates (BACKWARD PASS)
3. Calculate TOTAL FLOAT for
each activity
4. Identify activities with 0 (zero)
TOTAL FLOAT
19

Project Start Date & Task Durations are know

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity A

Duration

WBS Code Activity

Late Start (LS)

Early Start (ES)

Late Finish (LF)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity B

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

WBS Code Activity

Total Float (TF) =

Early Start (ES)

Early Finish (EF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Activity C

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

Late Start (LS)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity D

Duration

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

20

Early Finish = Early Start + Duration

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
8

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity A

Duration

WBS Code Activity

Late Start (LS)

Early Start (ES)

Late Finish (LF)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity B

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

WBS Code Activity

Total Float (TF) =

Early Start (ES)

Early Finish (EF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Activity C

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

Late Start (LS)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity D

Duration

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

21

Early Start With Single Predecessor

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
8

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity A

Duration

WBS Code Activity

Late Start (LS)

Early Start (ES)

Late Finish (LF)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity B

Duration

8
13

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

WBS Code Activity

Total Float (TF) =

Early Start (ES)

Early Finish (EF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Activity C

Duration

8
10

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

Late Start (LS)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity D

Duration

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

22

Early Start With Multiple Predecessors

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
8

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity A

Duration

WBS Code Activity

Late Start (LS)

Early Start (ES)

Late Finish (LF)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity B

Duration

8
13

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

WBS Code Activity

Total Float (TF) =

Early Start (ES)

13
16

Early Finish (EF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Activity C

Duration

8
10

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

Late Start (LS)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity D

Duration

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

23

Start-to-Start Relationships (A to E)
WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
8

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity A

Duration

WBS Code Activity

Late Start (LS)

Early Start (ES)

Late Finish (LF)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity B

Duration

8
13

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

WBS Code Activity

Total Float (TF) =

Early Start (ES)

13
16

Early Finish (EF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Activity C

Duration

8
10

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

Late Start (LS)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity D

Duration

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
4

Early Finish (EF)

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

24

Completed FORWARD Pass

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
8

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity A

Duration

WBS Code Activity

Late Start (LS)

Early Start (ES)

Late Finish (LF)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity B

Duration

8
13

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

WBS Code Activity

Total Float (TF) =

Early Start (ES)

13
16

Early Finish (EF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Activity C

Duration

8
10

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

Late Start (LS)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity D

Duration

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
4

Early Finish (EF)

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

25

Critical Path Method

1. Calculate Early Start & Early
Finish dates (FORWARD PASS)
2. Calculate Late Start & Late
Finish dates (BACKWARD PASS)
3. Calculate TOTAL FLOAT for
each activity
4. Identify activities with 0 (zero)
TOTAL FLOAT
26

Start the BACKWARD Pass

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
8

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity A

Duration

WBS Code Activity

Late Start (LS)

Early Start (ES)

Late Finish (LF)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity B

Duration

8
13

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

WBS Code Activity

Total Float (TF) =

Early Start (ES)

13
16

Early Finish (EF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Activity C

Duration

8
10

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
4

Early Finish (EF)

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

16

Late Start (LS)

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity D

Duration

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

The last
activity Early
Finish (EF)
will default
to be the
Late Finish
(LF).

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

27

Late Start (LS) = Late Finish (LF) - Duration

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
8

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity A

Duration

WBS Code Activity

Late Start (LS)

Early Start (ES)

Late Finish (LF)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity B

Duration

8
13

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

WBS Code Activity

Total Float (TF) =

Early Start (ES)

13
16

Early Finish (EF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Activity C

Duration

8
10

Late Start (LS)

13
16

Late Finish (LF)

Late Start (LS)

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity D

Duration

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
4

Early Finish (EF)

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

28

Late Starts with Single Successors

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
8

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity A

Duration

WBS Code Activity

Late Start (LS)

Early Start (ES)

Late Finish (LF)

Early Finish (EF)

Activity B

Duration

8
13

Late Start (LS)

Total Float (TF) =

8
13

Late Finish (LF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

13
16

Early Finish (EF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Activity C

Duration

8
10

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
4

Early Finish (EF)

Late Start (LS)

13
16

Late Finish (LF)

Late Start (LS)

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity D

Duration

11
13

Late Finish (LF)

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

29

Late Start with Multiple Successors

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
8

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity A

Duration

WBS Code Activity

Late Start (LS)

Early Start (ES)

Late Finish (LF)

Early Finish (EF)

1
8

Activity B

Duration

8
13

Late Start (LS)

Total Float (TF) =

8
13

Late Finish (LF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

13
16

Early Finish (EF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Activity C

Duration

8
10

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
4

Early Finish (EF)

Late Start (LS)

13
16

Late Finish (LF)

Late Start (LS)

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity D

Duration

11
13

Late Finish (LF)

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

Late Finish (LF)

Total Float (TF) =

30

Finish-to-Finish Relationships (D to E)
WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
8

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity A

Duration

WBS Code Activity

Late Start (LS)

Early Start (ES)

Late Finish (LF)

Early Finish (EF)

1
8

Activity B

Duration

8
13

Late Start (LS)

Total Float (TF) =

8
13

Late Finish (LF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

13
16

Early Finish (EF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Activity C

Duration

8
10

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
4

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Late Start (LS)

13
16

Late Finish (LF)

Late Start (LS)

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity D

Duration

11
13

Late Finish (LF)

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

13
16

Late Finish (LF)

31

Completed BACKWARD Pass

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
8

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity A

Duration

WBS Code Activity

Late Start (LS)

Early Start (ES)

Late Finish (LF)

Early Finish (EF)

1
8

Activity B

Duration

8
13

Late Start (LS)

Total Float (TF) =

8
13

Late Finish (LF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

13
16

Early Finish (EF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Activity C

Duration

8
10

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
4

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Late Start (LS)

13
16

Late Finish (LF)

Late Start (LS)

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity D

Duration

11
13

Late Finish (LF)

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

13
16

Late Finish (LF)

32

Critical Path Method

1. Calculate Early Start & Early
Finish dates (FORWARD PASS)
2. Calculate Late Start & Late
Finish dates (BACKWARD PASS)
3. Calculate TOTAL FLOAT for
each activity
4. Identify activities with 0 (zero)
TOTAL FLOAT
33

al Float (TF) = Late Finish (LF) Early Finish (

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
8

Activity A

Duration

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Late Start (LS)

Early Start (ES)

Late Finish (LF)

Early Finish (EF)

1
8

Activity B

Duration

8
13

Total Float (TF) =

Late Start (LS)

5
0

8
13

Late Finish (LF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

13
16

Early Finish (EF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Activity C

Duration

8
10

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
4

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Late Start (LS)

3
0

13
16

Late Finish (LF)

Late Start (LS)

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity D

Duration

11
13

Late Finish (LF)

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

3
12

13
16

Late Finish (LF)

34

Critical Path Method

1. Calculate Early Start & Early
Finish dates (FORWARD PASS)
2. Calculate Late Start & Late
Finish dates (BACKWARD PASS)
3. Calculate TOTAL FLOAT for
each activity
4. Identify activities with 0 (zero)
TOTAL FLOAT
35

Critical Path Tasks with no Total Float (TF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
8

Activity A

Duration

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Late Start (LS)

Early Start (ES)

Late Finish (LF)

Early Finish (EF)

1
8

Activity B

Duration

8
13

Total Float (TF) =

Late Start (LS)

5
0

8
13

Late Finish (LF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

13
16

Early Finish (EF)

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

Activity C

Duration

8
10

Total Float (TF) =

WBS Code Activity

Early Start (ES)

1
4

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Late Start (LS)

3
0

13
16

Late Finish (LF)

Late Start (LS)

Early Finish (EF)

Total Float (TF) =

Activity D

Duration

11
13

Late Finish (LF)

Activity E

Duration

Late Start (LS)

3
12

13
16

Late Finish (LF)

36

Task A
2 days

Task C
1 days

Task B
3 days

Task D
2 days

Task F
5 days

Start

Task E
4 days

Fin
Task G
2 days

8 days
St A C F Fin: ________
7 days
St B D G Fin: ________
9 days
St B E G Fin: ________
37

Task A
4 days

Task D
5 days

Task B
6 days

Task E
10 days

Start
Task C
8 days

Task F
5 days

Task H
7 days

Task J
2 days

Fin

Task G
8 days

16 days
St A D H Fin: ________
18 days
St B E J Fin: ________
15 days
St C F J Fin: ________
16 days
St C G Fin: ________

38

Activity

Duration

Preceding Activity

Start (Milestone)

--

Task A

4 days

Start

Task B

3 days

Start

Task C

5 days

Task A

Task D

7 days

Task B

Task E

3 days

Task B

Task F

10 days

Task C & Task D

Task G

4 days

Task D & Task E

Task H

2 days

Task E

Task I

2 days

Task F & Task G

Task J

4 days

Task H

Finish (Milestone)

Task I & Task J

39

Task A
4 days

Start
Task B
3 days

Task C
5 days

Task F
10 days
Task I
2 days

Task D
7 days
Task G
4 days

Fin

Task E
3 days
Task H
2 days

Task J
4 days

21 days
St A C F I Fin: ________
days
St B D F I Fin: 22
________
days
St B D G I Fin: 16
________
12 days
St B E G I Fin: ________
days
St B E H J Fin: 12
________

40