Project Management Session 5

Project Planning

Project Planning

Session Outcome
Following this session the delegate should be
able to develop the following, given an
appropriate case study:

Tabulated sequence of activities;

Network diagram (AON);
Calculate a Forward Pass;
Calculate a Backward Pass;
Identify the Critical Path for the relevant
network diagram.

Project Planning

Preamble

Project Planning

Session Outcomes
Project planning is about sequencing
and scheduling

Project Planning

Developing the Project Plan

Project planning is about sequencing
and scheduling

Project Planning

Developing the Project Plan

Fundamental to this is the project
network

Project Planning

Developing the Project Plan

The Project Network:

A tool for planning, scheduling and monitoring project progress;
Developed from the WBS;
A flow chart that graphically depicts the sequence,
interdependencies, and start and finish times of the project;
Show activities that are the critical path through the network:
Provides the basis for scheduling labor and equipment;
Enhances communication among project participants;
Provides an estimate of the projects duration;
Provides a basis for budgeting and cash flow;
Identifies activities that are critical;
Highlights activities that are critical and can not be delayed;
Help managers get and stay on plan.

Project Planning

From Work Package to Network

Graphical sequence showing relationships, interdependencies and

activities required to complete the project;
Remember an activity consumes time;
The link between the network diagram and the WBS is the work
package it is here that the activities are identified, to be used in
the network diagram;
However, the activity in the network diagram differs in terms of the
following:
It only shows time (start, end, duration ) and identifies an
activity the work package shows more information
An activity can (but does not have to) include more than one
work package;
The work package are developed independently from each
other, while the activities are depicted to show interrelationships
and dependencies

Project Planning

From Work Package to Network

Project Planning

From Work Package to Network

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Project Planning

From Work Package to Network

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Project Planning

Constructing a Project Network

Terminology:
Activity: an element of the project that consumes
time;
Merge Activity: an activity that has two or more
preceding activities on which it depends;
Parallel (Concurrent) Activities (Relationships):
Activities that can occur independently and, if
desired, not at the same time.

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Project Planning

Constructing a Project Network

Terminology:
Event: a point in time when an activity is
started or completed. It does not consume
time;
Burst Activity: an activity that has more
than one activity immediately following it
(more than one dependency arrow flowing
from it).

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Project Planning

Constructing a Project Network

Two Approaches:
Activity-on-Node
(AON):
Uses a node to
depict an activity.
Activity-on-Arrow
(AOA):
Uses an arrow to
depict an activity.

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Project Planning

Constructing a Project Network

Terminology:
Path: a sequence of connected, dependent activities;
Critical path: the longest path through the activity network
that allows for the completion of all project-related activities;
The shortest expected time in which the entire project can be
completed;
Delays on the critical path will delay completion of the entire
project.

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Project Planning

Constructing a Project Network

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Project Planning

Constructing a Project Network

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Project Planning

Basic Rules to Follow in Developing

Project Networks

Networks typically flow from left to right;

An activity cannot begin until all of its preceding activities are
complete;
Arrows indicate precedence and flow and can cross over each
other;
Identify each activity with a unique number; this number must
be greater than its predecessors;
Looping is not allowed;
Conditional statements are not allowed;
Use common start and stop nodes.

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Project Planning

Basic Rules to Follow in Developing

Project Networks

First step = create the sequence in a

tabular format

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Project Planning

Network Information

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Project Planning

Basic Rules to Follow in Developing

Project Networks

Second step = create the sequence in

network format

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Project Planning

Activity-on-Node Fundamentals

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Project Planning

Activity-on-Node Fundamentals

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Project Planning

Koll Business CenterPartial Network

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Project Planning

Koll Business CenterComplete

Network

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Project Planning

Basic Rules to Follow in Developing

Project Networks

Third step = determine and record activity

durations (here referred to as time)

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Project Planning

Network Information

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Project Planning

Activity-on-Node Network

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Project Planning

Basic Rules to Follow in Developing

Project Networks

Fourth step = Determine early start and finish

dates (calculating the so called forward pass)

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Project Planning

Forward Pass Computation

A Forward Pass through the network determines the

earliest times each activity can start and finish;
Forward Pass:
How soon can the activity start? (early startES)
How soon can the activity finish? (early finishEF).

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Project Planning

Forward Pass Computation

The earliest start time (EST) for the initial activity in a

project is time zero;
The EST of an activity is equal to the latest early
finish time of the activities directly preceding it;
The EFT of an activity is equal to its EST plus the
time (duration) required to perform the activity.

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Project Planning

Forward Pass Computation

Add activity times along each path in the network

(ES + Duration = EF);
Carry the early finish (EF) to the next activity where it
becomes its early start (ES) unless;
The next succeeding activity is a merge activity, in
which case the largest EF of all preceding activities
is selected.

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Project Planning

Activity-on-Node Network Forward

Pass

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Project Planning

Activity-on-Node Network Forward

Pass
20

20

20

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Project Planning

Activity-on-Node Network Forward

Pass

235

235

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Project Planning

Basic Rules to Follow in Developing

Project Networks

Fifth step = Determine late start and finish dates

(calculating the so called backward pass)

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Project Planning

Backward Pass Computation

A Backward Pass through the network determines

the latest times each activity can start and finish
without delaying completion of the project;
Backward Pass:
How late can the activity start? (late startLS);
How late can the activity finish? (late finishLF).

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Project Planning

Backward Pass Computation

Subtract activity times along each path in the

network (LF - Duration = LS);
Carry the late start (LS) to the next activity where it
becomes its late finish (LF); unless
The next succeeding activity is a burst activity, in
which case the smallest LF of all preceding activities
is selected.

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Project Planning

Activity-on-Node Network Backward

Pass
5

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Project Planning

Network Computation Process

The latest finish time (LFT) for the final activity in a

project is equal to its EFT as determined by the
forward pass;
The LFT for any other activity is equal to the earliest
LST of the activities directly following (or succeeding)
it;
The LST of an activity is equal to its LFT minus the
time (duration) required to perform the activity.

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Project Planning

Basic Rules to Follow in Developing

Project Networks

Using Slack and Float

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Project Planning

Determining Slack (or Float)

Slack (or Float):

The amount of time an activity can be delayed
after the start of a longer parallel activity or
activities
Total slack:
The amount of time an activity can be delayed
without delaying the entire project
The critical path is the network path(s) that has
(have) the least slack in common- normally Zero.

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Project Planning

Determining Slack (or Float)

Slack:
If slack in an activity on a path is used, the ES of all
activities that follow in that chain will be delayed and their
slack reduced. Use of total slack should therefore be
coordinated with all participants in the activities that follow in
that chain;
Free slack:
Free slack, however is unique because the activity can be
delayed without delaying the ES of activities following it.
Free slack is defined as the difference between the EF of an
activity and the ES of the activity that follows. Only activities
where that occur at the end of a chain of activities (usually
where you have a merge activity) can have free slack Free
slack does not affect the activities following it.

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Project Planning

Activity-on-Node Network with Slack

200

35

235

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Project Planning

Activity-on-Node Network with Slack

200

200

200

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Project Planning

Activity-on-Node Network with Slack

185

20

20

20

20

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Project Planning

Activity-on-Node Network with Slack

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Project Planning

Practical Considerations

Network Logic Errors;

Activity Numbering;
Use of Computers to
Develop Networks;
Calendar Dates;
Multiple Starts and
Multiple Projects.

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Project Planning

Illogical Loop

FIGURE 6.9
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Project Planning

Network to Gantt

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Project Planning

Network to Gantt

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