Essential key steps in Critical Path Method
A critical path method is a comprehensive method to schedule a construction project. This process involves six essential steps through which a construction project manages its building to shape into a successful model. Each phase consists of the creation of a critical path and considers as interrelated to different dependencies. Following are the few essential vital steps that are commonly associated with the required path method.
- Specifications of each particular activity
- Delineations in different project dependencies
- Creation of CPM network diagram
- Estimation of completion time of each particular project activity
- Precise identification of the critical path
- Upgradation of the critical path.
Many contractors face multiple tasks and several dependencies while having construction projects. It does not illustrate during a construction project. To undertake a construction project might consist of huge risks relevant to interrelated dependencies. CPM is a precise and step-by-step project management system that identifies the project’s critical path’s fundamental activities or tasks. It involves a brief visualization of different project functions and includes the component tasks in a necessary way.
To have a practical understanding of the Critical Path Method, we need to understand how the Critical Path Method works. It identifies with the help of the six following steps that are listed below.
Specifying different activities
It is the initial step of CPM Scheduling, precise specification, and identification of different tasks or activities that comprises this project. In this step, the project visualizes a thorough representation of a graphical presentation. This activity involves higher-level activities and specifications that utilize to enumerate the activities. In this activity, the project’s initial point identifies through primary deliverables. It identifies minor works and involves a graphic presentation with the overall process.
Delineation of project dependencies
The next step is to identify and delineate the project dependencies. Many activities are dependent upon the completion of other things. An essential step is to display the graphical representation of dependent activities in a proper way. It involves three powerful queries to complete the task. Those three activities are listed below:
- Which particular task happens before any specific job occurs?
- Which one task must finish in the same amount of time as this specific task?
- Which one is the next after any specific task?
CPM Network Diagram
After all of the activities get done, a CPM analysis chart begins in which CPA creates itself. It is also known as a network diagram. This diagram shows the graphical or visual presentation of different activities that rely collectively on interrelated dependencies. The critical path diagram is mostly hand-drawn, but now with modern techniques, upgraded software manages to create a CPM network diagram.
Completion time of each project activity
In this step, an estimation of each project is involved, and no hard and fast rule is applicable. The time estimation in CPM involves three different domains: best case estimate, most likely assessment, and worst-case scenario estimate. These are generated based on experience from the other projects. They also advise the people to get skilled in a specific type of project within the hand.
Identification of critical path
There are many ways to identify a critical path; initially, you can quickly analyze the graphical image. In the network diagram, the critical path positioned itself as an extensive one according to time, not through the boxes. Simple identification of a critical path is that it’s a simple one. Secondly, it is known as the forward pass and backward pass technique that identifies the necessary pass. While utilizing this technique, you can quickly identify the earlier start and finish time with the latest opening and end time among different activities to determine the critical path.
Upgradation of critical path
Upgradation is the last step in which it is updated to the network diagram and the project progression. The collective data transforms into a graphical chart with the actual data that portray a more realistic and accurate project completion view.