REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

PALAWAN STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE & TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

C-Mngt 1: Construction Management

NETWORK SCHEDULE

BAR (Gantt) CHART SCHEDULES

PREPARED BY:

MARTINO, MARIEL PAZ R.

2014-4-0099

INSTRUCTOR:

AR. CHRISTOPHER MAGRATA

BAR (Gantt) CHART SCHEDULES

The bar chart (Gantt chart) is graphically the most simple of the scheduling methods. It is understood by
most project people and can be produced more quickly than any of the other scheduling methods. It is frequently
used in the planning stage of a project by owners, designers, and construction professionals to quickly examine the
overall timing on a project. In its most simple form, an overall project may be broken down into three bars
reflecting design, bid and award, and construction. In the bar chart shown in Figure 1, one can easily learn several
important facts about the project, including:
1. The planned overall length of the project
2. The planned duration of each project activity (e.g., mobilize, lay out footings, or excavate)
3. The calendar starts and finish dates for each project activity

FIGURE 1: Bar charts are graphically simple, easily read and understood, and inexpensive to produce.

Bar charts can also be used to report information to people who are concerned about a project, but who
may not be involved in the day- to-day management Bar charts provide a quick, visual overview of a project, but
they tend to neglect the management detail necessary to make complicated coordination decisions. Bar charts can
be color-coded or time-scaled; they work nicely as a tool to compare actual to planned progress. Bar charts are
universally accepted, with the reader needing little, if any, specialized training. Bar charts are best used in
conjunction with network-based scheduling methods. The network-based method is used by the scheduler and
other project management people to lay out in detail the workings of the project, with the bar chart then used
to communicate the results. It is important to remember that a bar chart does not communicate the
interrelationships between project activities (see Figure 2).

Because of the inherent graphic limitations of a bar chart, it cannot define individual activity
dependencies. For instance, in Figure 2, it is not dear from the bar chart whether the excavation of the footings is
dependent on the completion of the layout of the footings. Common sense and personal experience tell us that it
is dependent, but the bar chart docs not by definition define d1is dependency. Therefore, because these
dependencies are not considered, bar charts cannot be used to calculate specific project activity start dates,
completion dates, and available float (extra time).

In summary, bar charts are excellent communicators of time-related project information. They are
quick and easy to develop and arc understood by most people. Their major limitation is that interdependencies
between activities cannot be shown. Because that information is not provided, complicated management
decisions should be made utilizing other, more interrelated scheduling methods.
FIGURE 2: Bar charts do not show activity relationships. FIGURE 3: Since the slope of the individual activity
line reflects the rate at which the activity will be
accomplished, repetitive operations can be visually
planned.

NETWORK SCHEDULES

Figure 3: Network logic can be shown in either (a) activity on arrow or (b) activity on node notation.

The workhorse of construction schedules is the network schedule. It is best prepared by a team of people
who have complete knowledge of all aspects of the project. A completed network schedule means that all the
work to be performed on the project has been defined and organized. In network scheduling, each item of work is
called an activity. These activities are each given a duration (how long the activity will take in hours, days, or
weeks), and they are connected in what are called network diagrams. The completed network then defines all
activity interrelationships and durations and considers what resources are available, as well as all assumptions
about how the project will be pursued. A network schedule can be viewed as a road map that, if followed, will
bring the project to its desired destination.

A project team that diligently prepares a network (commonly called a Critical Path Method, CPM)
schedule has readied itself for the effective management of the project. Preparing a network schedule is like
preparing an estimate. It forces a thorough review of all the contract documents as well as communication with
the leaders of the forces that will be involved in the project. Questions such as what work can be scheduled
concurrently or what task precedes the placing of the floor tile are all answered by the network schedule.

As can be seen in Figure 3, network schedules can take two forms, activity on arrow notation or activity
on node notation, also called precedence notation. In activity on arrow notation, the work or activity is shown on
the arrows, which are connected by nodes. In precedent notation, the work occurs on the nodes, and these are
connected by arrows.

Precedent notation is the most typical choice in today's industry. Precedent networks can be created
faster, forward and backward pass computations can be done more easily, and are easier to read. Some estimators
still use arrow notations because they feel it is a better graphic representation of the activities, but most
scheduling is done via precedent notation. For the purpose of this text, all planning and scheduling networks and
calculations will be done utilizing precedent notation.

Preparing a network schedule is akin to building the actual project on paper. The schedule preparer
identifies all the necessary tasks and then logically arranges them in the order the work will be accomplished in the
field. The process, if approached correctly, docs and should produce strong opinions, as there is usually more than
one way to build a project. Discussions will occur about both the order of the activities and the duration of a given
task. These discussions are good as they force the project team to consider other options. This process is an
important part of value engineering, allowing the project team to consider project time during the planning stage
of a project. It is better to argue about the planned approach to the project in the office, on paper, before the
project begins, than during the actual construction.

When a network schedule is compared to the previously discussed matrix and bar chart schedules, many
differences appear. The network schedule is clearly the largest undertaking. The thorough preparation of a
network schedule for a large commercial project-like a detailed estimate can take several weeks and consume
tremendous resources. Detailed schedules require detailed project in formation, and to provide for the
opportunity for updates and revisions, computer software and hardware must be utilized. The preparation and
interpretation of a network schedule require technical training (see Figure 3), which is why matrix and bar chart
schedules are derived from the network schedules to communicate schedule information to both field personnel
and nontechnical people such as the public and financial backers.

When network schedules first appeared in the construction industry, they were viewed as an optional
resource available to the contractor who wanted to invest in the technology. This was before the proliferation of
the personal computer and its low-cost computation power, which provides the contractor with the ability to
produce a schedule, update it, and produce reports, all for little cost.

Owners, designers, construction managers, and other interested parties have come to understand the
benefits provided by network schedules. Most project managers are now educated in scheduling theory and know
how to use computers to produce network schedules. That is why on many, if not most, major construction
projects, owners require that a network schedule be submitted before any construction can begin. This schedule
may be developed independently by the contractor if the project is bid, or in the case of a construction
management delivery method, the owner, designer, and construction professional may develop the schedule
jointly. In any case, before the work begins, this schedule is complete and on hand to monitor the progress of the
work. The impact of any delays, changes, or natural disasters can then be compared to the baseline schedule. This
provides the opportunity to prepare thorough reviews of the project status before making any adjustments to the
project plan.

CONCLUSION
The development and use of a schedule is a powerful management and communication tool. Because of
the increased complexity in construction techniques and materials, as well as the diverse labor issues and the
pressures of budgets, the use of this tool has increasingly become the standard control method. Without the use
of a schedule it is difficult, if not impossible, to coordinate the diverse activities found in a construction project. An
effectively managed project must closely coordinate the activities of the owner, designer, construction manager,
and all the people who come together at the job site. Questions from the owner about when tile move can be
scheduled, or from the designer about tile impact on project completion of changing a lobby detail, or from the
electrical subcontractor about a substitute for a long-lead fixture can be studied and answered only by tile use of
schedules. In a construction project, where time truly equals money, tile management of time is critical, and the
best way to manage time is through scheduling.
 NETWORK CONSTRUCTION

Network Definition
A network schedule is a logical and ordered sequence of events that describes in graphical form the
approach that will be taken to complete the project.

WHY NETWORK SCHEDULES?

A network-based schedule provides the level of detail required to manage the planning, development,
and construction of sophisticated projects. Although used extensively by the construction industry, network-based
schedules are used in many other enterprises as well. When a team of people plan, organize, and manage a
complicated process, a network schedule could profitably be used. In construction, most owners now require
contractors to utilize network schedules on midsize and major projects.

The development of a network-based schedule follows a logical process that should involve most of the
key project participant. A key project participant would be defined as any project team member who represents
the owner, designer, contractor, construction manager, key subcontractor, or any consultant who has been hired
for specific expertise during the critical stages of a project. Successful network schedules begin with a complete
understanding of the project objectives, which are defined by the owner. The project participants then take these
objectives and break them down into definable tasks that provide the level of detail necessary to organize,
manage, and control the process. Once the tasks, also called activities, are defined, the project team organizes or
"builds" the project on paper, establishing the order of the tasks to be performed in a way that allows the project
to be completed in the most efficient manner. The most efficient manner is defined by the project objectives and
may not necessarily be the fastest.

The developed network, for instance, may define an approach that minimizes impact on existing
operations, or one that provides the best cash flow for the owner, both of which are possible priorities defined by
the owner. These project goals should be continually incorporated as the team assembles the network schedule.
Team members need to decide what activities must precede, succeed, or run concurrently with other activities.
The end result of this process is a network, or logic, diagram that accurately depicts the order that the work will
follow.

A key part of this process that will pay great dividends later in the project is to get everyone to "buy into"
the network schedule. If everyone involved in the project agrees and subsequently supports the logic established,
the project team will experience a greater level of cooperation later on when the project is under construction.
Suppliers, subcontractors, and project managers will be in a position to understand each other's concerns and will
be more willing to schedule their work to help each other.

THE PROJECT PLANNING PROCESS

Project Investigation
As stated previously, the preparation of a network schedule begins with a complete understanding of the
project objectives by all project team members. These objectives are first defined by the owner but will evolve
during the design process through the development of the drawings, specifications, and the language and terms of
the contract. These objectives along with information developed through an investigation of the work
environment in which the project will be constructed lays the groundwork for the schedule.

Work Environment The information shown on the site analysis form in Figure 7.1 is typical of what the project
team should gather about the work environment before beginning to undertake a network diagram for a project.
As an example, for the renovation of a hospital, the scheduling team would need to determine the extent of dust
protection required, allowable hours for work, points of access for workers, location and timing for equipment
deliveries, and the extent of hazardous waste expected to be encountered, to name but a few concerns. Key dates
such as the start of the project, the end of the project, and any coordination points along the way set the skeleton
framework of the schedule. If the project is to be phased or if there are key points of approval or review, the
scheduler will insert these. These points in the project are called milestones; they occur in response to important
outside events or agreements that impact most projects.
 Weather, site conditions, and unique area considerations are also issues that impact the schedule. The
author was involved in a construction project that was adjacent to an active U.S. Air Force Titan launch facility. On
the days of a launch, it was necessary to vacate the job site for several hours. The exact days of the launches were
not known in advance, but the number of launches in a year was predictable. These had to be considered in the
schedule for that particular project. The availability of building materials, access for deliveries, availability of
power, and the amount of construction in the region (since other projects draw on the same labor and material
suppliers) arc all factors that impact the schedule. For example, the job site of a project that is constructed in a
dense urban environment will be tightly controlled so that the delivery of materials coincides tightly with the
schedule for installation. Materials left sitting on the site are susceptible to vandalism or theft and can cause
congestion in an already limited work area (see Figure 9. 1).

Contract The complete understanding of the contract by all project participants is essential. The contract
describes the responsibilities of each participant to the project. The contract will identify what materials and work
will be provided by the owner. It is not unusual for the owner to pre-purchase materials that may take a long time
to be fabricated and delivered and provide these to the contractor, thereby saving project time. These items are
called long-lead items; by developing a network schedule an owner is able to identify which items it makes sense
to pre-purchase in this way.
Some contracts include incentive clauses as well as liquidated damage clauses, which provide bonuses or
penalties, respectively, to contractors who finish the project early or late. Other features included in a contract are
specific project and milestone completion dates, work rules governing safety and hiring requirements, or any other
conditions, rules, or stipulations that might affect the organization of the project.

Drawings and Specifications The actual technical requirements of the project arc covered in the drawings,
specifications, and any addenda. (An addendum is a change in the technical requirements of a project that occurs
after bids are sent but before they are received.) These contract documents along with an estimate, if it has been
prepared, are key base information. The drawings and specifications are the source of all the materials and
quantities used and also describe techniques and submittal requirements. If the design team is part of the
scheduling process, its members can clarify any unique project features, special materials, or techniques that are
part of the project.

Activity Definition
Once the investigatory work is complete and all the key project team members have expressed and
agreed to the major project objectives, the team is ready to begin to construct the network diagram.

The first step in the networking process is to define the work breakdown structure (WBS) for the project
and from that define the activities that will make up the network. An activity must be a definable part of the
overall project. It must be measurable, assignable to a project team member, and consume project time and
resources.

Construction activities can generally be characterized as one of three types: production, procurement,
and administrative.

Production Activities These identify the actual physical construction tasks of the project.
Examples include Erect Steel Stud Wall, Run Electrical Conduit, or Install Drywall. If the project is composed of
multiple floors, or project phases, the activity would designate the activity location, such as Run Electrical Conduit,
1st Floor. The activity should be large enough to identify a meaningful quantity of work, yet small enough to allow
the sd1cduler to sort the activity by assigned trade and by project location. A well-developed schedule allows the
project team to separate all activities of each trade in such a way that each contractor has a clearly defined scope
of work without overlap or omission. This is done by ensuring that each activity is the responsibility of one trade
only.
The production portion of the schedule should also be sortable by floor and project phase. This ability to
break out the project provides a tremendous control tool for management as the project is prepared for
construction.
Procurement Activities Activities can also be categorized as procurement or purchasing activities.
These are the activities that need to occur to get all the materials, equipment, and subcontractors to the job site. It
is not unusual for these activities to be grouped into a separate procurement schedule, which is managed by the
purchasing department. Examples of purchasing activities include Order Tile, Approve Roofing Sample, or Detail
Structural Steel and Prepare Shop Drawings.
As identified in Fig me 9.2, most procurement activities follow a logical sequence, beginning with the
preparation of the submittal by the supplier or subcontractor, the approval of the submittal by the owner and/or
designer, the ordering and fabrication of the work item, and then the delivery of the item to the job site.
In managing the procurement part of the schedule, some allowances should be made for the fact that not
all submittals are approved in the first round. Many submittals must be resubmitted and therefore reviewed again.
This can be a time-consuming process, and if the material involved is an item with a long delivery time, this
resubmittal could delay the project. On a project that the author was involved in, this process was streamlined by
physically locating the structural designers in the office of the structural steel fabricator/contractor. The structural
steel work on this project was critical; by improving communication between the designers and the contractors,
the submittal process became faster and more efficient. With the use of electronic communication, the processing
time of sending documents back and forth is being cut down significantly. In developing the procurement
schedule, it is important to identify all the required submittals for the job, as well as which offices and agencies
review the submittal. As an example, an electrical supplier would submit to an electrical subcontractor, who would
then submit to the general contractor. After this review the submittal would go to the owner, who would tl1en
copy the electrical designer as well as possibly the end user (tenant) and the construction manager. Any of these
reviewers could comment on this submittal and possibly force a resubmittal. As the developer of the network
schedule, you must verify the agencies that have formal review authority over the submittal and identify which
reviews will be occurring concurrently and which sequentially. Both the submittals required and tl1e time frame
allowed for review should be identified in the specifications. Because the delivery of long-lead items such as
structural steel, elevators, and special equipment such as large-diameter water valves or compressors can all affect
the length of a project, owners often begin the submittal process for these items before a contractor is selected.

Administrative Activities The third category of activity that appears in a network schedule is the administrative
activity. Examples of this are required inspections by local officials or by federal or regulatory agencies. This
category also includes activities that occur in the permitting process, such as presentations before an architectural
review commission or a zoning board of appeals. These are key steps in the life of a project, and identification of
these activities requires the involvement of all the principal parties, since normally no one party knows all the
administrative steps that have to be followed. The construction team is able to define the construction-related
inspections, such as rough and finish plumbing inspections. The designer can identify any design reviews by third
parties, such as those for zoning variances or by historical commissions or by neighborhood groups. The owner is
principally involved in working with tenants and in securing financing for the project. The owner defines any major
coordinating steps that have to take place with these people.

Milestones
A key event in the life of a project can be identified by the use of a milestone date or activity. The
prearranged shutdown of plant operations, the delivery of a certain phase of a building to a tenant, or a city
agreement that a road be opened by a specific date are all examples of milestones. Unlike an activity, a milestone
cannot be assigned to a company or person and docs not consume time or resources. A milestone is used to signify
an important point in the life of a project; the milestones of a project are often developed into a separate schedule
(see Figure 9.3).

Milestones are also used to "flag" significant project accomplishments, serving as a measure of project
success. Examples of these may be the erection of the last piece of steel, the closing in of a building (e.g.,
weathertight), or the completion of a certain phase of a project.
FIGURE 9.3. A milestone schedule usually defines the key dates in the life of a project.

THE NETWORK DIAGRAM

A network diagram is a pictorial representation of the activities and the order in which they must occur to
complete the project in the most efficient manner. The process of developing the diagram provides those involved
with the opportunity to think through the project by constantly asking these questions:
I. What activity must occur before this activity can be done {predecessor)?
2. What activity must follow this activity {successor)?
3. What activity can be accomplished at the same time that this activity is occurring (concurrent)?

The order in which activities occur on a project has a certain degree of flexibility about it that is based on
personal preference and past experiences. Different contractors will work a project in different ways. The key,
however, to the well-managed project is that all project participants agree that the project will be run as
diagrammed. If differences of opinion exist, this is the time to resolve them. It is a lot easier to reorganize the job
on paper than it is in the field when all suppliers and subcontractors arc under contract.

Network diagrams are constructed in accordance with a number of conventions:

1. All networks have a single starting point and finish point.
2. Networks arc continuous. That is, each activity-except the first and last- has both preceding and succeeding
activities.
3. No activity/operation can start until all preceding operations have been completed or preceding "link"
requirements have been met (see Figure 9.7).
4. Each node indicates a single activity (see Figure 9.4).
 The completion of the network diagram is a major step in the planning stage of a project. All major
participants should participate in the process, understand the completed network, and be prepared to follow the
network's logic during construction.

Network Notation
As can be seen in the figures, the activities are identified by nodes and connected by arrows. Each activity
is represented by a single node, which is read from left to right. A pure logic diagram is not drawn to scale. The
purpose of the diagram is to establish the logic of the project, identifying the order of the tasks. Network diagrams
are continuous; activities without predecessors are assumed to begin at the start of the project, and likewise,
activities without any successors are assumed to be complete when the project finishes. A few types of logic
statements and their diagrams are shown in Figure 9.5. Notice also (see Figure 9.6) that Post-it notes are a useful
tool for building network diagrams.

A characteristic of precedent notation is the ability to overlap activities, allowing the scheduler to model
more accurately the project's operations. Activities can be scheduled using a variety of different "link types" with
or without lags. Figure 9. 7 illustrates the four different link types that can be specified. The traditional link type is
the Finish to Start, meaning that once the preceding activity is fully completed the successor activity can begin. The
other link types, Finish to Finish, Start to Start, and Start to Finish recognize that construction activities are not
perfectly sequential and that they often run in parallel. A lag (sec Figure 9.8) can be added to any of the above link
types. A lag, also called a link duration, specifies the amount of time that succeeding activity waits along the link. A
lag in essence provides a head start or a delay depending on your perspective. The example in Figure 9.8 shows
how a lag is used in the placement of concrete followed by the setting of base plates to allow for a two-day curing
period. The above complexities can all be handled with the traditional Finish to Start link without any lags, but
additional activities would have to be created; for example, the activity Framing may be broken down into three
activities-Begin Framing, Continue Framing, and Complete Framing. This breakdown would allow the integration of
other activities that parallel the framing activity, such as the running of wiring, rough plumbing, and/or insulation.

By using all of the link types available, Finish to Start, Start to Start, Finish to Finish, and Start to Finish
relationships and lags, the scheduler is able to model the project exactly the way the work is anticipated to run. As
mentioned previously, only the traditional Finish to Start link could be used, but many more activities would have
to be created. Traditional schedulers will argue that it is better to add the activities and stick with Finish to Start
relationships without the use of lags. This allows the creation of a schedule that has dearly defined paths and can
be manually computed and adjusted. Conversely, most argue that it is better to minimize the number of activities
and fully utilize the power of the different link types and lags even though this approach often leads to a schedule
that can be very complicated to interpret and difficult to adjust without the use of scheduling software.

FIGURE 9.5. Logic statements: activity on node notation.

NETWORK PRESENTATION

The final step in the networking process (a step that marks the completion of the planning stage of the
project) is the preparation of the final network diagram. This diagram should clearly indicate the scope of the
project, as defined by the activities in the schedule, as well as the planned sequencing of the project, as identified
by the order in which the activities are connected.

It is important at this stage that all the key project participants agree on and support the sequence in
which the activities are structured. The final network diagram incorporates major project decisions such as phased
construction, planned construction techniques, long-lead purchasing items, and owner concerns such as tenant
occupancy and financing requirements.

Up to this point, individual activity durations have yet to be considered. It is important in the planning
stages that the sequencing of the individual operations not be altered because of the planned durations of other
concurrent operations. It is always best to consider sequencing and activity durations independently, then "run the
network," and then make all the final adjustments.

Some of the final steps that arc part of the presentation of the final network arc to number the
nodes/activities, center the key activities on the page, and generally "neaten up" the final network. If a network is
being produced at this stage by hand, nodes are generally numbered horizontally from left to right and vertically
from top to bottom (see Figure 9.9). It is always best to minimize crossovers, although usually they cannot be
totally avoided. It is also a plus if operations of a similar nature arc clustered together-for instance, procurement
activities or structural steel work or groupings by building floor. Most network schedules, however, are now
produced using computer software, which makes this step easier, since the software will automatically sort and
position the presentation as specified by the scheduler.

Normally, the schedule output will be set up to organize the activities by project phase, subcontractor or
discipline, responsibility, and the like, further sorted by start date or float (see Figure 9.10).
FIGURE 9.7: Example of activity "links."

The issues of how you want to manage the job and how you would like the information presented should
be decided prior to the entering of the activity data. As activities are entered in to the computer, information
about the activity, such as its location on the project, the trade or responsibility for doing it, resource
requirements, activity cost, and so on, can be entered at the same time, giving the user a tremendous amount of
project information. In Section Four, control applications and more specifics about work breakdown structure and
activity coding are discussed.

FIGURE 9.9: Networks are numbered with node numbers increasing from left to right and from top to bottom.
FIGURE 9.10: Example activity breakout

CONCLUSION
The completion of the network diagram marks the completion of the planning stage of a project and is
important for a number of reasons. First, a network diagram should define the most expeditious schedule, which
can lead to significant cost savings on the project. Second, the schedule defines the impact of one activity on
another, which can become critically important when delays occur on a project, and a workaround solution must
be determined. Third, once durations are specified, the network diagram can determine the starts and finishes of
each activity. This is the subject of the next chapter.
A network is a working tool. To keep it effective, it must be updated and adjusted as the project moves
along. The logic that has been established at the planning stage is based on the best knowledge available, but
certainly as real events happen on the job site, refinements must occur. It is best to think of network scheduling as
an iterative process - a scheduling team makes its best estimates of the order and duration of activities, then the
schedule is run and examined. Adjustments are made and the schedule is run again. This process is repeated over
and over again even as construction begins. The only difference is that real durations and events begin to play a
role in the iterations.
BASIC TERMS IN SCHEDULING

Activity: A task or process to be accomplished in a set period of time as part of working toward a larger project
goal. An Activity can be assigned to a resource(s) and have an associated cost. Activities are ordered with logic
links.
Actual Cost: The real amount paid or incurred for labor or materials.
Activity Relationship: An ordered link between 2 activities representing the order of execution.
The 4 relationship types are:
FS – Finish to Start
SS – Start to Start
FF – Finish to Finish
SF – Start to Finish
Approved Change Requests: Documents of approved changes made to the project contract as a whole (cost,
schedule, plan). These are first reviewed by all stakeholders before being approved.
Arrow Diagraming Method (ADM): Arrow diagramming method is a network diagramming technique used in
Project Management in which activities are represented by arrows. ADM is also known as the activity-on-arrow
(AOA) method.

ADM is used for scheduling activities in a project plan. Precedence relationships between activities are represented
by circles connected by one or more arrows. The length of the arrow represents the duration of the relevant
activity. ADM only shows finish-to-start (FS) relationships, where each activity is completed before the successor
activity starts.
Backward Pass (Backward Plan): Critical path calculation process which having calculated earliest date for
activities on the network. Works backwards to find activities latest start and finish dates/float
Bar Chart: A chart on which activities are represented by Bars. The Bars length is represented by the activity
Duration, and is lined-up on a X-axis time scale.
Base Line: A set of dates and costs frozen at the start of the project and used as a basis for performance evaluation
as the project progresses.
Budgeted Cost: The amount planned ahead and placed aside to execute an activity or an entire project from start
to finish.
Change Estimate: An Estimate evaluating a potential change to a project. Often the estimate focuses on Cost,
Schedule and Resource changes.
Change Impact: The effect of a project change on project cost, schedule and resourcing.
Committed Cost: A cost which has not yet been paid, but an agreement, such as a purchase order or contract, has
been made such that the cost is no longer recoverable.
Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS): A breakdown of the project into cost elements for cost control planning. A CBS
will deconstruct a project into various cost elements or types such as area, phase, discipline, or materials.
Critical Activity: An activity that is on the project’s critical path.
Critical Path: A project’s critical path is the sequence of network activities which add up to the longest overall
duration. This determines the shortest time possible to complete the project.
Critical Path Method (CPM) Scheduling: A project modeling technique and algorithm for scheduling a set of
project activities. Developed in the late 1950s, CPM scheduling aims to build a model of a project that contains:
1. A list of all activities required to complete the project (typically categorized within a work breakdown
structure),
2. The time (duration) that each activity will take to complete,
3. The dependencies between the activities and,
4. Logical end points such as milestones or deliverable items.
Critical Path Method Scheduling then uses an algorithm that computes Early and Late dates for each activity in
order to determine the project’s Critical Path.
Critical Path Analysis: The analysis of a project schedule by its critical path or longest path. The analysis aims to
understand whether the project can be completed on time and what key activities or milestones are a risk to the
project’s timely completion. An advanced analysis may consider near-critical paths or other risk paths of the
project.
Date Constraint: A date restriction imposed on an activity’s start or finish date in scheduling software. Applying a
constraint will swap the computed date to a date imposed by the user. Often used to impose deadlines or to delay
activities in a schedule.
Direct Labor: (1) Labor which can be directly related/allocated to the output of a productive account or cost
centre, compared with indirect labor which is not directly related to output. (2) Labor employed directly by owner
or main contractor, as opposed to sub-contract labor.
Doubled resource estimated duration (DRED): Measures the length of activity duration if the assigned level of
resources has doubled.
Duration: The number of calendar periods it takes (or is estimated to take) from the time the execution of an
element starts to the moment it is completed.
Early Start: The earliest time an activity can start within the logic and imposed targets in the network.
Early Finish: The earliest time an activity can finish within the logic and imposed targets in the network.
Estimate: Evaluation of expected quantities, time and man-hours, with allowances and provisions for expected
unknowns.
Estimated Cost: An approximated cost derived through a cost estimation technique such as using historicals or
empirical methods.
Estimate to Complete: The estimate of remaining costs, man-hours or quantities to the completion of defined
scope.
Extensions of Time: A contractual extension of time to reflect agreed claims or scope changes. Sometimes used to
minimize the risk of invoking penalty clauses.
Float: Float is the amount of time that an activity in a project network can be delayed without causing a delay to:
subsequent tasks (free float) or the project completion date (total float).
Forward Pass: The first step in the CPM scheduling algorithm. The forward pass calculates each activity’s early
start and early finish date.
Free Float: The amount of time that spans from the completion of one previously scheduled activity and extends
to the point at which the next scheduled activity is set to begin.
Gantt Chart: A time-based activity chart in which a series of horizontal lines shows the amount of work done or
production completed in certain periods of time in relation to the amount planned for those periods.

Hammock: An activity, joining the start of the leading activity to the end of a series of network activities and where
duration reflects the overall time and related logic for the series, at plan and subsequent monitoring stages.
Histogram: Bar chart indicating estimated or actual manpower resources work or costs expended over time.
Incurred Cost: Expenses incurred from project activities.
Indirects: Indirect costs are costs that are not directly accountable to an activity or work package. Indirect costs
may be either fixed or variable. Indirect costs include administration and personnel. These are those costs which
are not directly related to production. Some indirect costs may be overhead. But some overhead costs can be
directly attributed to a project and are direct costs.
KPI: A Key Performance Indicator is a type of performance measurement. KPIs evaluate the success of an
organization or of a particular activity in which it engages.
Lag: A scheduled delay on a logic link whereby a successor activity will be delayed with respect to a predecessor
activity
Late Finish: The latest possible date the activity must finish without affecting the target finish date for the project.
Late Start: The latest possible start date for an activity to start without affecting the target finish date for the
project.
Lead: The amount of time whereby a successor activity can be advanced with respect to a predecessor activity.
Often this is referred to a negative lag.
Level of Effort Activity: A support-type project activity that must be done to support other work activities or the
entire project effort.
Loop: A logic error where a succeeding activity attempts to start prior to a preceding activity.
Lost Time: Productive time lost because of inclement weather, labour problems, equipment failure or other cause.
Master Schedule: A high-level summary schedule or a schedule that is a combination of other independent sub-
schedules.
Milestone: An event to mark specific points in time along a project timeline. These points may signal anchors such
as a project start and end date, a need for external review or input and budget checks, among others. In many
instances, milestonesdo not impact project duration. Instead, they focus on major progress points that must be
reached to achieve success.
Monte Carlo Simulation: A computerized probabilistic method used in modeling risk.
Network (Project Network): A project network is a graph (flow chart) depicting the sequence in which a project’s
terminal elements are to be completed by showing terminal elements and their dependencies. It is always drawn
from left to right to reflect project chronology.
Open ends: Any project Activities without a predecessor or a successor activity.
Percent Complete: A percentage value between 0 and 100 that indicates the partial completeness of an activity,
project or work package.
PERT: Programme Evaluation and Review Technique is a statistical tool, used in project management, which was
designed to analyze and represent the tasks involved in completing a given project. First developed by the United
States Navy in the 1950s, it is commonly used in conjunction with the critical path method (CPM).

Physical Completion: Progress assessed by a physical measurement.

Planning: Project planning is part of project management, which relates to the use of schedules such as Gantt
charts to plan and subsequently report progress within the project environment. Initially, the project scope is
defined and the appropriate methods for completing the project are determined.
Planned Cost: An approved estimated cost for the project or items that will be used.
Planning Engineer: A specialist engineer who develops the project timescale schedules, and manages them using a
software package.
Predecessor(s): A predecessor activity is an activity that determines the start date or finish date of a following
activity based on a logical relationship.
Potential Change Requests: Documentation that tracks potential changes to your project’s estimated costs,
resources or supplies. Allows you to identify any anticipated impacts to the project scope. Once reviewed by
stakeholders, a change order can be requested to have these changes implemented.
Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM): Precedence Diagramming Methodis a network diagramming technique
used to establish order or execution in project schedules. PDM network diagrams use boxes, referred to as nodes,
to represent activities and connects them with arrows that represent the dependencies between activities.
Procurement: Procurement is the acquisition of goods, services or works from an outside external source. It is
favorable that the goods, services or works are appropriate and that they are procured at the best possible cost to
meet the needs of the acquirer in terms of quality and quantity, time, and location.
Project Control: The setting and monitoring of cost/schedule deliverables, identification and anticipation of
variances and implementation of preventive and recovery actions of approved changes.
Resource Leveling: A process using resource analysis that aims to remove or reduce resource over-allocations by
adjusting the start or finish dates of resource-loaded activities.
Schedule: A schedule is a listing of a project’s milestones, activities, and deliverables, usually ordered with
intended start and finish dates. Those items are often estimated in terms of resource allocation, budget and
duration, linked by dependencies and scheduled events.
Schedule Contingency: Quantity of time that is intended to reduce the impact of missed schedule or performance
objectives, which can be only partly planned (sometimes called “known unknowns”) and that normally is included
in the project’s schedule baseline.
Schedule Risk: Risk events that jeopardize completing the project on time.
Scheduling: 1) Fitting tasks into a logical timetable, using detailed planning of work with respect to time.
2) Determining when each item of preparation and execution must be performed.
S-Curve: Cumulative graph against time for tracking overall progress cf with plan: for cost, manhours,
materials.etc. CP1/SP1 can be calculated from the variance on this form of graph.

Target Date: A fixed activity due date or deadline.

The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): WBS is a hierarchical and incremental decomposition of the project into
phases, deliverables and work packages. It is a tree structure, which shows a subdivision of effort required to
achieve an objective; for example a program, project, and contract.
Total Float: Amount of time that an activity may be delayed from its early start without delaying the project end
date. Derived by subtracting the early start from the late start or early finish from the late finish. Also called ‘slack’,
and ‘path float’.
Weighted Percent Complete: Overall progress completion measurement, using activity weightings to normalize
disparate activities.
Work Package: A work package (WP) is a subset of a project that can be assigned to a specific part for execution.
Because of the similarity, work packages are often misidentified as projects.