Chapter 6: Activity
Planning – Part 2
NET481: Project Management
Afnan Albahli
S
Representing Lagged Activities
S Lag activities: are two activities that will be
undertaken in parallel but there is a lag between them.
S Here tow activities will be undertaken at the same time
with some lag between them.
S “Document amendments” will start one day after
“Test prototype” starts and finish two days after “Test
prototype” ends.
Representing Lagged Activities
Labeling Conventions
S There are a number of labeling conventions.
S Label convention is a way of entering information on
an activity-on-node network.
S One labeling convention is the British Standard 4335.
Adding the Time Dimension
S After we create the logical network model showing the activities and
the interrelationships between those activities. We should think of
when each activity will be undertaken.
S The critical path approach is concerned with:
S Planning the project in a way that it will be completed as quickly
as possible.
S Identifying the activities where a delay in their execution is likely
to affect
S The overall end date of the project or
S Later activities start dates.
Adding the Time Dimension
(cont’d)
S For each activity we will estimate its duration.
S The network is then analyzed by carrying out the forward pass and a
backward pass.
S The forward pass:
S Calculates the earliest dates at which activities may be started, finished
S Project completion time.
S The backward pass:
S Calculates the latest dates at which activities may be started, finished,
the float and
S The critical path.
Example
Example (cont’d)
The project duration=13 weeks
The Critical Path
S There will be at least one critical path in the network.
S The critical path defines the duration of the project.
S Any delay to any of the activities on this critical path will result in a
delay of the project completion.
S Activity Float:
S Difference between the latest start and the earliest start or
S Difference between the latest finish and the earliest finish.
S Activity Span:
S Difference between the latest finish and the earliest start.
S It is a measure of the maximum time allowable for the activity.
Example
S What is the Activity Spam for:
S Activity D: 11-4 =7 weeks
S Activity G: 13-10= 3 weeks
Critical Activities
S They are those on the critical path.
S Activities not on the critical path may become critical. How?
S As the project proceeds the activities may use some of their float.
S Periodic recalculation of the network is required.
S As soon as activities on a particular path use up their float the
activities will become critical.
S Identifying critical activities is an important step in:
S Risk analysis.
S Resource allocation.
S Project monitoring.
Activity Float
S • Time allowed to delay an activity start.
S 3 different types:
S Total float (without affecting the completion of the
project) it is the float recorded in the precedence
network
= Latest start date – Earliest start date
S Free float (without affecting the next activity)
= Earliest start date of next activity – Earliest Finish date of
activity(in question)
S Interfering float = (total float - free float)
Example
For Activity D
S What is the total float?
S Total float= 3 w
S What is the free float?
S Free float= ES(H)- EF(D)= 9 - 8=1 w
S What is the interfering float?
S interfering float= 3 - 1=2 w
Shortening the Project Duration
S If we want to bring forward the end date of the project,
which activities should we try to reduce their durations?
S Critical activities.
S How can we reduce the time duration for an activity?
S More resources.
S Working overtime.
S Additional staff
S Suppose that the duration for activity F is shortened to 8
weeks, calculate the end date of the project.
Activity-On-Arrow Network
S Links or arrows represent activities.
S Nodes represents events.
Activity-On-Arrow Network (cont’d)
Rules and Conventions
S A project network may have one start node.
S A project network may have only one end node.
S A link has duration.
S Nodes have no duration.
S Nodes are events.
S The source node.
S The sink node.
S The intermediate nodes.
S
Activity-On-Arrow Network (cont’d)
S Time moves from left to right.
S Nodes are numbered sequentially.
S A network may not contain Loops.
S A network may not contain dangles.
S
S
S Sequential numbering
S A loop
S A Dangle
Exercise
S what is wrong with the following?
Exercise
S what is wrong with the following?
Exercise
S what is wrong with the following?
Dummy Activities
Suppose that in a project,
S Before you can start “coding the software” you need to:
S “Specify the hardware”
S “Design data structures”.
S Before placing an order you only need to:
S “Specify the hardware”
Dummy Activities
S Resolving the error using a dummy activity.
S Dummy activities:
S Are used to aid in the layout of network drawings.
S
Lagged Activities
S We represent lagged activities with a pair of dummy activities.
S
S
Activity Labeling
Divide the node circle into quadrants:
S Event number
S Earliest and latest dates by which the event will occur.
S slack
S
S
Network Analysis
S The Forward Pass: it is carried out to calculate:
S the earliest date on which each event may be achieved and
S the earliest dates on which each activity may be started and
completed.
S The earliest date for an event is the earliest date by which all
activities upon which it depends can be completed.
S
S
Network Analysis (cont’d)
S The Backward Pass: The second stage is to carry out a
backward pass to calculate:
S the latest date at which each event may be achieved, and
S each activity started and finished , without delaying the
end date of the project.
S The latest date for an event is the latest date by which all
immediately following activities must be started for the project
to be completed on time.
S The Slack is the difference between the latest date and the
earliest date for an event.
Network Analysis (cont’d)
S The critical path in the activity-on-arrow network is:
S The path joining all nodes with a ”zero” slack.
S The longest path through the network.
S
S
S
Example
Activity-on-Arrow Network.
CPM Network
The project duration is: 13 weeks.
