Basics Of PERT/CPM

PERT=Project Evaluation Review Technique

CPM = Critical Path Method

 Why PERT/CPM?
• Prediction of deliverables
• Planning resource requirements
• Controlling resource allocation
• Internal program review
• External program review
• Performance evaluation
• Uniform wide acceptance
 The CPM Diagram

• “Tasks” are Arrows • “Events” are Circles

• “Critical Tasks” are Thick Arrows
• “Dummy Tasks” are Dashed Arrows
 Starting Point:
Task Primary Properties

• Prerequisite task set (may be empty)

• Optimal Staffing
• Duration at Optimal Staffing Level

• Crash Limit
• Fixed and Variable costs
If a task seems too complex or involved to
easily determine primary properties . . .

Break the task up into simpler tasks . . .

Or create a CPM sub-project.

 We will use PERT/CPM
Analysis to determine Task
Secondary properties:
• Tail Event and Head Event
• Earliest Start, Earliest Complete
• Latest Start, Latest Complete
• Critical / Non-Critical Status
• Total Float, Free Float
• Scheduled Start, Scheduled Complete
• Actual Staffing, Duration, and Variable Costs
We will then use Task Secondary
Properties to generate Project
Management Tools:

• Gantt Chart (Project Schedule)

• Manpower Chart
• Expenditure Curves
• Project Completion (PC)
 Generate Initial CPM Diagram
• Must strictly enforce all prerequisite relationships.
• Number of events is initially unknown
• Critical path is initially unknown
• Iterative Process
• Try to minimize number of Dummy Tasks
 CPM Hint #1

• Add or remove events at your pleasure.

• Do not number events until last.
 CPM Hint #2

• The initial event is the Tail Event for all

tasks which have empty prerequisite sets
(Initial Tasks).
• The Final Event is the Head Event for all
tasks which are not members of any
prerequisite set (Final Tasks).
 CPM Hint #3

• Tasks which have identical prerequisite sets

have the same Tail Event
 CPM Hint #4
• Starting with the Final Tasks, work backwards,
enforcing the smallest prerequisite sets first.
• Use Dummy Tasks to enforce any prerequisites
in large sets which have already been enforced
in a smaller set.
 Finish CPM Diagram

• Remove all redundant Dummy Tasks

• Remove all redundant Events
• Number all remaining events
• Not really finished . . haven’t identified critical
tasks yet.
 Generate PERT Chart:
Enter Data for Each Task

• Task Symbol
• Tail Event
• Head Event
• Task Duration (TD)
 Forward Pass:
Determine Earliest Start (ES) and
Earliest Complete (EC)
for each Task
• For all Initial Tasks, ES = 0
• Once ES is Determined, EC equals ES plus TD.
• The ES for all tasks with tail [i] is equal to the
largest value of EC for all tasks with head [i].
• PC is the largest value of EC for all Final Tasks.
 Backward Pass:
Determine Latest Start (LS) and
Latest Complete (LC)
for each Task
• For all Final Tasks, LC = PC
• Once LC is Determined, LS equals LC minus TD.
• The LC for all tasks with head [j], is equal to the
smallest value of LS for all tasks with tail [j].
• At least one Initial Task must have LS = 0; none
may be negative.
 Determine Total Float (TF):
Allowable delay in start of task which
will not delay Project Completion

• For task with tail [i] and head [j],

TF[i,j] = (LC[j] – ES[i]) – TD[i,j]
• ES[i] is earliest start for all tasks with tail [i].
• LC[j] is latest complete for all tasks with head [j].
 Determine Free Float (FF):
Allowable delay in start of task which
will not delay start of any other task.

• For task with tail [i] and head [j],

FF[i,j] = ES[j] - ES[i] - TD[i, j]
= ES[j] - EC[i,j]
• If [j] is the final event, use PC for ES[j]
 Determine Critical Path

• All Tasks with zero Total Float are Critical.

• Any delay in these Tasks will delay Project
Completion.
• Darken these Tasks to finish CPM Diagram.