Basic elements of cpm
1. activity – is an effort, work or operation required to complete a task or a
project Or in some cases, a segment of that task. It is the actual work
between events.
2. events – represents the completion of an activity. It denotes the
completion of all preceding activities and the beginning of one or more
succeeding activities. It is shown in a network Denotes a circle, ellipse,
square or other geometrical figures for identification or the number therein.
3. arrow – it is drawn to represent each activities included in a network
or a project, joining two events. It is designated by two numbers, one at a
tail and one at a head, with a number at the head always larger than the
number at the tail.
4. network – an arrow diagram drawn to represent the relations of the
activities and events.
5. dummy – an artificial activity represented on the arrow diagram by
dotted line, which indicates that an activity following the dummy cannot be
started until the activity/activities preceding the dummy are completed. It
doesn’t consume time.
6. duration (D)– the estimated time that an activity can be finished.
7. earliest start (ES) – the earliest time that an activity can be started
8. earliest finish (EF) – the earliest time that an activity can be started.
Equation: EF = ES + D - 1
9. latest start (LS) – latest time that an activity may be started without
delaying the completion of the project.
Equation: LS = LF – duration + 1
10. latest finish (LF) – latest time than an activity can be finished without
delaying the completion of the project.
Equation: LF = LS + D
11. total float (TF) – the amount of time that the start or the finish of the
activity can be delayed without delaying the completion of the project.
Equation: tf = lf – ef or tf = ls – es
12. free float (ff) – the amount of time that the finish of the activity can be
delayed without delaying the earliest starting time for the following
activity.
Equation: ff = esj - efij
13. critical path – the series of interconnected activities through the
network for which each activities has zero float time. It determines the
minimum time required to complete the project.
14. critical activities – activities along the critical path. any delay in
their completion would result In a delay of project completion.
Tips in preparing cpm for scheduling
a. prepare a list of all activities of the project
b. estimate the duration of each activity.
c. determine which activity/activities immediately precede each activities.
D. determine which activity/activities immediately follow each activity.
E. draw a network of the activities and events properly interconnected.
F. assign numbers to the events being sure that the number at the head of
each arrow is larger than that of the number at the tail of the arrow.
G. prepare a chart with vertical columns
RULES IN DRAWING A NETWORK DIAGRAM
1. A COMPLETE NETWORK SHOULD ONLY HAVE ONE POINT OF ENTRY OR START AND ONLY
ONE POINT OF EXIT.
2. EACH ACTIVITY IS REPRESENTED BY ONE AND ONLY ONE ARROW IN THE NETWORK.
EVERY ACTIVITY MUST HAVE ONE PRECEDING OR TAIL EVENT AND ONE SUCCEEDING OR
HEAD EVENT.
*NO TWO ACTIVITIES CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY THE SAME TAIL OR HEAD EVENT.
3. NO ACTIVITY CAN START UNTIL ITS TAIL EVENT IS REACHED.
4. AN EVENT IS NOT COMPLETE UYNTIL ALL ACTIVITIES LEADING TO IT ARE COMPLETE.
5. LOOPS WHICH LED BACK TO THE SAME EVENT ARE NOT ALLOWED.
6. ALL ACTIVITIES MUST BE TIED INTO THE NETWORK.
7. ARROWS SHOULD BE KEPT STRAIGHT AND NOT CURVED. AVOID ARROWS WHICH
CROSS EACH OTHER.
8. THE FLOW OF THE DIAGRAM SHOULD BE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.
Activity on node conditions activity on arrow
a. x must be completely
finished before y
begins
b. y must be
completely finished
before x begins
c. x and y must both
be completely finished
before z begins.
D. w and x must both
be completely finished
before y or z begins.
e. w and z must be
completely finished
before x begins; only
w must be completed
before y begins.
*note: nodes are events. Arrows represent dependencies. An activity on
arrows or connecting lines are activities connected by events.
