What Is Critical Path Method (CPM)?

What Is Critical Path Method (CPM)? – Critical Path Method (CPM) is a network analysis technique used to predict project duration by analyzing which sequence of activities (which path) has the least amount of scheduling flexibility (the least amount of float). Early dates are calculated by means of a forward pass using a specified start date. Late dates are calculated by means of a backward pass starting from a specified completion date (usually the forward pass’s calculated project early finish date).

For all Project Management Definitions, check the PMO and Project Management Dictionary by John Filicetti

PMHut Team

PMHut Team

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3 Responses

  1. October 16, 2007

    […] What Is Critical Path? – Critical Path, in a project network diagram, is the series of activities which determines the earliest completion of the project. The critical path will generally change from time to time as activities are completed ahead of or behind schedule. Although normally calculated for the entire project, the critical path can also be determined for a milestone or subproject. The critical path is usually defined as those activities with float less than or equal to a specified value, often zero. See Critical Path Method. […]

  2. October 16, 2007

    […] What Is CPM? – CPM is Critical Path Method […]

  3. April 28, 2008

    […] emerged as the Program Evaluation Research Technique (PERT) and as the Critical Path Method (CPM). There are several ways to represent the output of the PERT/CPM […]

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