Lecture no.

Engr. M. Nouman,
Lecturer, CED, SUIT.
Email: mnouman.civil@suit.edu.pk
• A network is a graphic representation of a project plan.
• A project schedule network diagram is an output type of the
process ‘sequencing activities’ according to PMI’s Guide to
the Project Management Body of Knowledge.
• The activities that make up the project and the logical
relationships that exist between these activities are
represented by a group of arrows and nodes.

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022 2

• There are four types of logical activity relationships.
i. Finish to start (FS)
ii. Start to start (SS)
iii. Finish to finish (FF)
iv. Start to finish (SF)

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022 3

• There are two main types of network diagrams in project
management.
1. The arrow diagramming method (ADM).
2. The precedence diagramming method (PDM).

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022 4

1. Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM):
• It is also called activity on arrow (AOA)
network.
Activity name
i j
OR
• The i-j method (because activities are
defined by the node i and the node j).

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022 5

1. Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM):
• The activities are represented by arrows. Activity name
i j
• Events are represented by nodes.
• The tail of the arrow represents the start of the activity and
the head represents the finish.
• The length of the arrow typically denotes the duration of
the activity.

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022 6

1. Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM):
• Each arrow connects two circles, known as “nodes”.
• The nodes are used to represent the start or end of an activity in a
sequence.
• The starting node of an activity is sometimes called the “i-node,” with
the final node of a sequence sometimes called the “j-node.”
• The only relationship between the nodes and activity that an ADM
chart can represent is “finish to start” or FS.

Activity name
i j
Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022 7
 Activity name
i j
1. Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM):
§ Recommendations on building Activity on
arrow:-
• Draw arrows from left to right.
• j must be greater than i (j>i).
• Each activity must have an unique i-j number.
• Always number the nodes after the diagram is
completed.

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022 8

 Activity name
i j
1. Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM):
§ Recommendations on building Activity on
arrow:-
• Minimize crossovers whenever possible.
• Avoid illogical loops.
• Start and finish with one node.
• Use dummy activities if needed.

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022 9

 Activity name
i j
1. A r r o w D i a g r a m m i n g M e t h o d
(ADM):
§ Recommendations on building Activity on
Activity X
arrow:-
i j 
• Dummy activity is indicated by a dashed Activity Y
line arrow and do not require duration
and resources but it shows a proper
logic between two activities. j
Du
mm

X
yA

ty
cti

i
vit

iv
y

t
Ac
i k 
Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022 Activity Y 10
§ Example 1 (ADM):

Activities Predecessor D
A -
B
B A A

C A
C
D B E

E B, C
F
F C 
Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022
§ Example 1 (ADM):
D
Activities Predecessor 3
A - B
A E
B A 1 2 5 6

C A C
D B 4
F
E B, C

F C

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022

§ Example 2 (ADM):
D
Activities Predecessor 2

A - A

B - B E 5
1 3
C -

D A C
F
4
E A, B

F A, B, C

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022

2. Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM):
• It is also called as Activity on Node (AON) diagram.

Construction activities
B D

A F

C E

Logical relationships
Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022 14
 B

2. Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM):  C

§ Recommendations on building activity on node:-

• Don’t connect from top and bottom. Connect from sides only.
B
• Don’t combine relationship lines to avoid confusion in lag.

B B
A 
A A

C C
C
 
Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022 15
 A C

2. Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM):

B C
D
§ Recommendations on building activity on node:-
• Design from left to right in an almost chronological order.
A C
• Minimize line crossing.

B B C
D

B  A A

A 
B

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022

§ Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM):
2. Recommendations on building activity on node:-
• Start and finish with one node.
A D

Start B E Finish

C F

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022

§ Example 1:

Construction Predecessor
Activities Activities B
A -

B A
A D
C A

D B, C C

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022

§ Example 2:

Construction Predecessor
Activities Activities
A - B D

B A
A E
C A

D B
C
E C, D

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022

§ Example 3:

Construction Predecessor
Activities Activities
A - B D

B A
A PF
C A

D B
C E
E B, C

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022

§ Example 4:

Construction Predecessor
Activities Activities A D
A -

B - PS B PF

C -

D A, B C E

E B, C

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022

• Lags: It is defined as a minimum waiting period between the finish of
an activity and the start of its successor.
• Arrow networks cannot accommodate lags. The only solution in such
networks is to treat it as a real activity with a real duration, no
resources, and a $0 budget.
• Lead: The term lead simply means a negative lag. It is seldom used
in construction.
• A positive time gap (lag) means ‘‘after’’ and a negative time gap
(lead) means ‘‘before.’’

Construction Management (Engr. M. Nouman) - Fall 2022 22

• Note that the fourth step is not a “real” activity to which we must allocate resources and a budget.
• It is merely a waiting period, commonly known as a lag.
• A node network can accommodate such a lag if we simply put the lag on the relationship line
between Place Concrete and Strip Forms.
3

Place Concrete Strips Forms

A lag in a node network

Place Concrete Cure Concrete/setting Strips Forms

A lag in an arrow network

Engr. Noman khan (SUIT Peshawar) noman.civil@suit.edu.pk 23