critical path

[dimpy.handa]

In project management, a critical path is the sequence of project network terminal elements with the shortest overall duration.
The duration of the critical path determines the duration of the entire project. Any delay of a terminal element on the critical path directly impacts the planned project completion date (i.e. there is no slack on the critical path).

A project can have several critical pahts. A path just shorter of the critical path is called a sub-critical path.

Originally, critical path method considered only logical dependencies among terminal elements. A related concept is critical chain, which adds resource dependencies.

The critical path method was invented by the DuPont corporation.

 

[satyamsaxena0786]

Basic technique

The essential technique for using CPM is to construct a model of the project that includes the following:
A list of all activities required to complete the project (typically categorized within a work breakdown structure),
The time (duration) that each activity will take to completion, and
The dependencies between the activities

 

[swatiraohnlu]

Typically, the critical path represents the longest path through the entirety of the project and typically this path consists of every single activity that must be concluded from the kickoff to the ultimate conclusion of the project. However, in some cases a critical path can terminate on a particular schedule milestone that does not come at the conclusion of the project.

 

[dimpy.handa]

As with Gantt Charts, the essential concept behind Critical Path Analysis is that you cannot start some activities until others are finished. These activities need to be completed in a sequence, with each stage being more-or-less completed before the next stage can begin. These are 'sequential' activities.
Other activities are not dependent on completion of any other tasks. You can do these at any time before or after a particular stage is reached. These are non-dependent or 'parallel' tasks.