Project Management: Network Diagram for Critical Path Identification

This project solution provides a detailed analysis of project management using precedence network diagrams. It includes the construction of a PERT network diagram based on the activity-on-node convention, followed by the execution of forward and backward pass methods to determine essential task information. The solution identifies the critical path for a landscape gardening project, highlighting activities A, B, G, H, and I as critical. The document includes a network diagram visually representing the project's activities and dependencies, along with tables detailing the early start time (EST), early finish time (EFT), late start time (LST), and late finish time (LFT) for each activity. Slack times are calculated to identify critical activities with zero slack. This project offers a comprehensive understanding of network diagrams and critical path analysis in project management. Desklib provides access to this and other solved assignments for students.

Running head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Project Management
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:

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Precedence network diagram
1. Network diagram

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Figure 1: Network Diagram (Critical Path Marked in Red)
(Source: Created by author)
2. Forward and backward pass method
Forward pass method
Activity Time EST
EF
T
(weeks
)
A 2 0 2
B 3 2 5
C 4 2 6
D 1 2 3
E 3 5 8
F 1 7 8
G 1 6 7
H 3 8 11
I 1 11 12
Backward pass method
Activity Time
ES
T
EF
T
LS
T
LF
T
(weeks
)
A 2 0 2 2 4
B 3 2 5 4 7
C 4 2 6 7 11
D 1 2 3 6 7
E 3 5 8 8 11
F 1 7 8 10 11
G 1 6 7 7 8
H 3 8 11 8 11
I 1 11 12 11 12

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3. Critical path for given project
Activity Time EST EFT LST LFT Slack Criticality
(weeks)
A 2 0 2 0 2 0 **
B 3 2 5 2 5 0 **
C 4 2 6 5 9 3
D 1 2 3 4 5 2
E 3 5 8 6 9 1
F 1 6 7 8 9 2
G 1 6 7 6 7 0 **
H 3 8 11 8 11 0 **
I 1 11 12 11 12 0 **
From the above table, it is seen that the critical path for the given project is:
A-B-G-H-I.

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Bibliography
Kerzner, H. and Kerzner, H.R., 2017. Project management: a systems approach to planning,
scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Turner, J.R., 2014. Handbook of project-based management(Vol. 92). New York, NY:
McGraw-hill.