Unit II

Critical Path Method

(Project Scheduling with known
activity timings)
 CPM A case study for insight
The following table describes the steps involved in a new construction project
initiated by Prestige constructions in Bangalore.

Activity
Immediate
Activity Description time
Predecessor
(in months)
A Preparation Plan - 5
B Identification of new customers - 6
C Develop prospectus A 4
D Selection of Contractors A 3
E Prepare building documents A 1
F Approval of building plans E 4
G Construction D, F 14
H Finalise sales B, C 12
I Customers move in G, H 2
 CPM A case study for insight
Solution:
As a first step, by using the information given in Table, we interlink the various
activities. In it the relevant activities are described by rectangles with their
associated names. The associated inter-relationships are shown by relevant arrows.

E F

A D G
I

C H

B
 CPM A case study for insight
Solution:
Now let us represent the related activity names in the upper left-hand corner and
the associated time for each activity just below the names.

E F

1 4

A D G

3 14 I
5
2
C H
4 12

B The leftover space is designated for further use.

6
 CPM Terminologies
Node / Event: Generally, a node represents an activity. It contains all necessary
components briefing the activity. Represented by a circle or rectangle.

Branch / Arrow / Arc: A branch / arrow / arc represents the connection between
two nodes or events.

Network: Shows the sequential relationships among activities using nodes and
arrows

Path: A connected sequence of activities leading from the starting event to the
ending event.

Critical Path: The critical path of a project network is the longest path in the
network

Critical Activities: All of the activities that make up the critical path
 CPM A case study for insight
Determination of Critical Path:
Critical path of a project network is the longest path in the network. This can be identified by
simply listing out all the possible paths from the starting node of the project to the
ending node of the project and then selecting the path with the maximum sum of
activity times on that path.

E F
1 4

A D G
5 3 14 I
2
C H
4 12 Path Time
A-E-F-G-I 5+1+4+14+2 = 26
B
A-D-G-I 5+3+14+2 = 24
A-C-H-I 5+4+12+2 =23
B-H-I 6+12+2 = 20
 CPM A case study for insight
Determination of Critical Path:
The above method, also called as method of complete enumeration, has several
drawbacks. In a large network, one may commit mistakes in listing all the paths.
Moreover, this method will not provide the necessary details like total floats and
free floats for further analysis.

Hence, we use a different approach to identify the critical path. This consists of
two phases:
Phase 1 determines Early start (ES) and Early Finish (EF) of all activities. This is
called Forward pass rule;
Phase 2 determines Latest start (LS) and Latest Finish (EF) of all activities. This is
called Backward pass rule;
 CPM A case study for insight
Forward pass rule:
Early Start (ES) for an activity is the maximum of the Early Finish (EF) among all
of its preceding activities.

Early Finish (EF) for an activity = ES + t

where ES Early Start of the activity
t the duration of the activity

E F
Recall our example
1 4

A D G
5 3 14 I
2
C H
4 12

B
 CPM A case study for insight
E 5 6 F 6 10

1 4

A 0 5 D 5 8 G 10 24
I 24 26
5 3 14

2
C 5 9 H 9 21

4 12

B 0 6

6
 CPM A case study for insight
Backward pass rule:
To accomplish the final task of identifying the much needed critical path, in
addition to the ES and EF, we must work out the Latest finish (LF) and the Latest
Start (LS) time for all the activities.

Latest finish (LF) for a given activity is the smallest of the Latest Start (LS) of all
of its succeeding activities (as determined by the given activity).

Latest Start (LS) for an activity = LF - t

where LF Latest Finish of the activity
t the duration of the activity
 CPM A case study for insight
E 5 6 F 6 10

1 5 6 4 6 10

A 0 5 D 5 8 G 10 24
I 24 26
5 0 5 3 7 10 14 10 24
2 24 26
C 5 9 H 9 21

4 8 12 12 12 24

B 0 6

6 6 12
CPM A case study for insight
General Template of a Node:

Activity Name Early Start Early Finish

Time Period Latest Start Latest Finish

 CPM A case study for insight
Float of an activity:
Float of an activity is defined as the amount of time by which the completion of
activity could be delayed beyond the earliest completion time without affecting the
overall project completion time.

Accordingly, it is obtained by subtracting the earliest completion time (EF) from

the latest completion time (LF) of the activity concerned.
Float of an activity = LF EF

Alternatively, Float of an activity can be defined as the amount of time by which

the start of the activity could be delayed beyond the earliest start time without
affecting the overall project completion time.

Accordingly, it is obtained by subtracting the earliest start time (ES) from the latest
start time (LS) of the activity concerned.
Float of an activity = LS - ES
 CPM A case study for insight
Float for various activities of the present example:

Activity EF LF Float Critical

A 5 5 0 Y
B 6 12 6
C 9 12 3
D 8 10 2
E 6 6 0 Y
F 10 10 0 Y
G 24 24 0 Y
Critical Path : A-E-F-G-I
H 21 24 3
I 26 26 0 Y

The activities for which float is zero are critical activities and their path gives the critical
path
 CPM Practice problem
1) Draw a project network for the given scenario and analyze the critical path for
the project.
Activity Immediate Duration
Predecessor (s) (in weeks)
A - 15
B - 20
C A 25
D A 10
E B 15
F B 20
G D, E 20
H D, E 30
I D, E 15
J C, G 10
K F, I 20
 CPM Practice Problem
C J
G
25 10
A
20
15 D

10 H

30
E

15 K
B
I
20 20
F 15

20
 CPM Practice Problem
C 15 40 J 55 65
G 35 55
25 35 60 10 60 70
A 0 15
20 40 60
15 10 25 D 15 25

10 25 35 H 35 65

30 40 70
E 20 35

15 20 35 K 50 70
B 0 20
I 35 50
20 0 20 20 50 70
F 20 40 15 35 50

20 30 50
 CPM Practice Problem
Float for various activities:

Activity EF LF Float Critical

A 15 25 5
B 20 20 0 Y
C 40 60 20
D 25 35 5
E 35 35 0 Y
F 40 50 10
G 55 60 5
Project Completion time:
H 65 70 5 70 Weeks
I 50 50 0 Y
Critical Path : B-E-I-K
J 65 70 5
K 70 70 0 Y
 CPM Practice problem
2) Draw a project network for the given scenario and analyze the critical path for
the project.

Activity Immediate Duration (months)

Predecessor (s)
A - 1
B A 4
C A 2
D A 2
E D 3
F D 3
G E 2
H F,G 1
I C,H 3
J B 2
 CPM Practice problem
J

2
B

4 I
G
3
A C 2

1 2
E H

3 1
D

2
F

3
 CPM Practice problem
J 5 7

2 10 12
B 1 5

4 6 10 I 9 12
G 6 8
3 9 12
A 0 1 C 1 3 2 6 8

1 0 1 2 7 9
E 3 6 H 8 9

3 3 6 1 8 9
D 1 3
2 1 3
F 3 6

3 5 8
 CPM Practice Problem
Float for various activities:

Activity EF LF Float Critical

A 1 1 0 Y
B 5 10 5
C 3 9 6
D 3 3 0 Y
E 6 6 0 Y
F 6 8 2
G 8 8 0 Y
Project Completion time:
H 9 9 0 Y 12 months
I 12 12 0 Y
Critical Path : A-D-E-G-H-I
J 7 12 5
 CPM Homework problem
Draw a project network for the given scenario and analyze the duration and critical
path for the project.

Activity Immediate Duration Activity Immediate Duration

Predecessor (s) (weeks) Predecessor (s) (weeks)

A - 5 H B 9

B A 2 I C,E 1

C A 6 J G 2

D B 12 K F,I,J 3

E D 10 L K 9

F D 9 M H,G 7

G D 5 N M 8
 CPM Homework problem
Draw a project network for the given scenario and analyze the duration & critical
path for the project.

Activity Immediate Duration Activity Immediate Duration

Predecessor (s) (weeks) Predecessor (s) (weeks)

A - 9 G E 10

B - 4 H E 8

C - 7 I D,F,H 6

D B,C 8 J E 9

E A 7 K I,J 10

F C 5 L G 2