Chapter 6: MGT 4730 Project Management: Developing a Project Plan

Vocabulary terms and analytical concepts regarding the development of project networks, including path analysis, scheduling computations, and network sensitivity.

Project Network

A flow chart that graphically depicts the sequence, interdependencies, and start and finish times of the project activities that must be completed; it is a tool for planning, scheduling, and monitoring progress.

Activity

An element of the project that requires time and is built from work packages.

Merge Activity

An activity that has two or more preceding activities on which it depends.

Parallel (Concurrent) Activities

Activities that can occur independently and, if desired, at the same time.

Path

A sequence of connected, dependent activities.

Critical Path

The longest path through the network that determines the shortest expected time in which the entire project can be completed.

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, indicated by more than one dependency arrow flowing from it.

Activity-on-Node (AON)

An approach to project networks where a node is used to depict an activity.

Activity-on-Arrow (AOA)

An approach to project networks where an arrow is used to depict an activity.

Forward Pass

A calculation process focused on earliest times, determining how soon an activity can start (ES) and finish (EF), and when the project can finish (ET).

Backward Pass

A calculation process focused on latest times, determining how late an activity can start (LS) and finish (LF), and identifying slack (SL).

Early Finish (EF) Formula

Calculated by adding the activity time to the early start: $ES + \text{Duration} = EF$.

Late Start (LS) Formula

Calculated by subtracting the activity time from the late finish: $LF - \text{Duration} = LS$.

Total Slack (SL)

The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the entire project, calculated as $LS - ES = SL$ or $LF - EF = SL$.

Free Slack

The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the early-start dates of any successor(s).

Network Sensitivity

The likelihood the original critical path(s) will change once the project is initiated.

Sensitive Network

A network schedule that has one or more critical paths and/or very little slack in noncritical activities.

Insensitive Network

A network schedule that has only one critical path and noncritical activities with significant slack.