Basic Networks

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy

INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 Network Diagramming
▪ Network: is a logical and chronological, graphic
representation of the activities composing a project.
▪ The followings are available in any network:
▪ List of project activities
▪ Logical sequencing
▪ Interdependencies of activities
▪ Start date and end date of each task

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 Sequential Logic
▪ Series Activities

A B C D

▪ Parallel Activities

A D

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 Types of Activities
▪ Burst Activity: activity linked to more than one succeeding
activity
▪ Merge Activity: activity having more than one preceding
activity linked to it

A D

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 Terminologies
▪ Predecessors: activity “A” is a predecessor of activity “B” if
activity “A” is staged before activity “B”
▪ Successor: activity “B” is a successor of activity “A” if activity
“B” is staged after activity “A”
▪ Path: sequence of connected activities
▪ Critical Path: the path having the longest overall duration

A D

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 Forms of Networks
▪ Arrow Networks
▪ Activity-on-Arrow (AOA)
▪ Use arrows to represent activities
▪ Node Networks
▪ Activity-on-Node (AON)
▪ Use nodes to represent activities

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 Forms of Networks
▪ Activity-on-Arrow:
3
B D
1 A 2 C 4 E 5

▪ Activity-on-Node:

B D

A E

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 Activity-on-Arrow (AOA)
▪ Activity is represented on an arrow that connects two nodes.
▪ Node is an event, a point in time
▪ Activity is presented as I-J (Activity A = 1-2, Activity D: 3-4)
▪ I: start node
▪ J: end node
▪ I-J: unique
3
B D
1 A 2 C 4 E 5

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 Activity-on-Arrow (AOA)
▪ Hints:
▪ Must start with one Node and finish the diagram with one Node

▪ While drawing the diagram, do not draw the node after the arrow
until you know what activities are coming next. Otherwise, you
will need to delete several nodes you draw.

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 (AOA) Example 1

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 AOA: Dummy Activity

Activity B: 20-30

Activity C: 20-30

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 AOA: Dummy Activity

Activity B: 20-30

Activity C: 20-40

Dummy Activity: shows

the proper logic of an
arrow network upon
provide unique labeling

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 AOA: Dummy Activity – Other Options
B
30

Activity B: 30-40 10
A
20 40
D
50
Activity C: 20-40
C

Activity B: 20-40 A D
10 20 40 50
Activity C: 30-40
C
30

Activity B: 20-40 10 A 20 40 D 50
Activity C: 20-30
C
30

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 AOA: Dummy Activity Example 2 -
Straighten Out The Logic

What is the problem?

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 AOA: Dummy Activity Example 2 -
Straighten Out The Logic

Problem solved 

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 Activity-On-Node (AON)
▪ Nodes represent activities
▪ Nodes are connected to show the logical sequence of the
works
▪ It is advisable to have a start and end milestone
▪ No dummies activities exist in AON!!
B D

A E

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 (AON) Example

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 To have a Proper AON Network
▪ Sides of activity:
▪ Left side  “start side”
▪ Right side  “end side”

Do not connect nodes from the top or bottom

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 To have a Proper AON Network
▪ Design it from left to right in an almost chronological order
▪ Do not combine relationship lines of the adjacent activities

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 To have a Proper AON Network
▪ Minimize line crossings, instead make a “jump” on one of
them

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 To have a Proper AON Network
▪ Start the network with one node and finish it with one node.

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University

 AON vs. AOA
▪ Node networks are easier to draw.
▪ Node networks do not require dummy activities to fix the
activity identity problem or to straighten out the logic.
▪ Node networks can accommodate lags between activities
without the addition of more activities.
▪ In addition to the preceding advantages, node diagrams can
be taken to an advanced stage in which they represent not
just the traditional finish-to-start relationship but also three
other relationships.

Dr. Mohamad El Dandachy INME 423 © Beirut Arab University