3.3 Critical path analysis

Question 1

Critical path analysis

Answer 1

A project management tool used for network analysis to plan the shortest amount of time to complete a project.

Question 2

Why do businesses need to plan complex projects?

Answer 2

Because it involves significant investment and risk.

Question 3

What’s it necessary to do because complex projects involve significant investment and risk?

Answer 3

Necessary to identify relationships between activities.

Question 4

What does critical path analysis include?

Answer 4

List of all activities required to complete the project.
Time each activity will take to complete.
How each activity depends on each other.

Question 5

What does a critical path analysis show?

Answer 5

Longest part of project activities.
Earliest and latest activity stop times.
Critical project activities which if delayed will cause the project to run over.

Question 6

What does critical path analysis allow for?

Answer 6

Resources can be hired at the right time and quantity.
Working capital can be managed.
When delays occur managers can identify implications and redirect resources.

Question 7

Node

Answer 7

Circle represents point in time where activity is started or finished.

Question 8

Left of Node

Answer 8

Activity number

Question 9

Top of node

Answer 9

Earliest time

Question 10

Bottom of node

Answer 10

Latest time

Question 11

Activity

Answer 11

Process or project which takes time.

Question 12

What is activity shown as?

Answer 12

Shown as a line which links nodes.

Question 13

Duration

Answer 13

Length of time it takes to complete a task.

Question 14

What normally represents an activity?

Answer 14

Description or letter

Question 15

Where is duration?

Answer 15

Number of hours or days below activity line.

Question 16

Rules for critical path analysis

Answer 16

Always starts and ends on node.
Line must not cross.

Question 17

How to work out EST?

Answer 17

Adding duration of task.

Question 18

What direction do you work out EST?

Answer 18

Left to right

Question 19

When two activities meet what do u choose for EST?

Answer 19

Highest calculated figure.

Question 20

How to work out LST?

Answer 20

Subtracting the duration of each task.

Question 21

What direction do you work out LST?

Answer 21

Right to left

Question 22

When two activities meet what do u choose for LST?

Answer 22

Lowest calculated figure

Question 23

What does the critical path identify?

Answer 23

Activities that determine the length of the process.
Activities that will delay the project as a whole.
Nodes where EST and LST are equal.

Question 24

Float

Answer 24

duration an activity can be extended or delayed and the project will still finish in a minimum time.

Question 25

Formula for Float

Answer 25

LFT- Duration- EST

Question 26

Critical path

Answer 26

Activities with a float of 0 cannot be delayed without delaying the whole process.

Question 27

How can managers use float time?

Answer 27

To transfer resources
Allow extra time

Question 28

What’s the use of critical path analysis?

Answer 28

Estimate and minimise project time
Prioritise tasks
Plan and organise resources

Question 29

Limitations of critical path analysis

Answer 29

Very lengthy projects may have a large number of activities.
Network Analysis often relies on estimates and forecasts.
Network analysis does not guarantee success of project.

Question 30

What may be required for lengthy projects with a large number of activities?

Answer 30

Specialist network planning software

Question 31

What may be required for network analysis using estimates ?

Answer 31

Significant research

Question 32

What may be required for network analysis not guaranteeing success?

Answer 32

Highly skilled project managers.