PERT &CPM

Network

• A network is a graphical representation of a

project, with all its activities and their
interrelationships.
• The network graph gives complete details of
the project, with all activities drawn according
to their sequence as stipulated in the project
plan and respecting their interrelationships.
 Objectives of Network Analysis:
• To minimize idle resources.
• To minimize the total project cost.
• To trade off between time and cost of project
• To minimize production delays, interruptions
and conflicts.
• To minimize the total project duration.
Managerial applications of network analysis

1. Assembly line scheduling,

2. Research and development,
3. Inventory planning and control,
4. Shifting of manufacturing plant from one site to another,
5. Launching of new products and advertising campaigns,
6. Control of traffic flow in cities,
7. Budget and audit procedures,
8. Launching space programmes,
9. Installation of new equipments,
10. Long-range planning and developing staffing plans, etc.
 Activities
• A project consists of a number of activities, each
representing a stage, a process, a task, an action, or work
in progress which requires time, money or resources for
its completion. Stated in simple terms, an activity is a step
in project completion for which it resources are required.
• Activities may be real or dummy. While real activities
consume time and resources and represent a stage of
work in the project, dummy activities are used to
establish dependency relationships. They consume
neither time nor resources.
 Activities
• Activities are inter-related through predecessor and successor
relationships. Predecessor activities are activities which have to
be completed before a particular activity can be started.
Likewise, successor activities are activities which can be initiated
only after a particular activity has been completed.
• An activity is shown by an straight arrow with circle at both the
ends(o o).Tail indicating the start and head indicating the end
of event
• The length of the arrow is no significance
• Given a name A,B,C……which is marked above the arrow and
estimated time to accomplish the activity is marked below the
arrow
 Relationship between activity
• Predecessor Activity: An activity which must be
completed before one or more other activities
start is known as PA
Successor Activity: An activity which started
after one or more of other activities are
completed start is known as SA
Activity X Activity Y
1 2 3

• Activity X is the preceding for activity Y and

activity y is the succeeding activity for activity x
 Events or nodes
• An activity has a beginning and an end denoted by events. 
• Events have no duration.
• They consume neither time nor resources.
• Every activity has two events associated with it. While one event
represents the beginning of the activity, another event denotes its
completion.
• The first event in a network is the start of the first activity and thus
initiation of the project. The last event represents completion of the
project.
• It represent by a circle and the event number is written within the
circle.
•
 Events types
• Merge Event: When more than one activity
comes and join an event
• Brust Event: Event: When more than one
activity leaves an event
• Merge & Brust events: