#critical path method

Tom Sachs

The industry of construction is flooded with incredibly high paced projects. It is owing to the ever-increasing needs of the people, augmented business investments and technological advancement.

However, it not only augmented the progress but also cause to pressurize the contractors in accomplishing their tasks efficiently but not everything is in the control of contractors or project owners.

Why Are Delays Critical In Construction?

The volatile nature of the construction sectors disrupts projects leading to potential delays. No matter how many sincere efforts you have done to achieve success, there are a few things you cannot control at all.

Delays are the uninvited guests who may visit at any moment, but the grounds are already set for them. The causes may be many, but the most important reason for the delay is the negligence. Small activities and tasks are delayed first and get accumulated to disrupt the construction process altogether.

So, it is essential to stay pro-active and manage everything critically in order to eliminate the probability of procrastination. It is perhaps the reason that many dynamic project managers hire quantum expert during the initial days of construction projects to get proper estimations and analysis reports.

Methods Of Analyzing Delays

Various techniques are used by the experts to analyze delays and disruptions in the on-going or hindered projects. One of these is the Critical Path Method (CPM).

The article is designed to help the readers in understanding how CPM is used to assess the causes of delays and potential ways to eliminate hindrances.  

Critical Path Methodology

The CPM is easy to understand because if you are associated with the industry, you have undoubtedly observed such situations many times.

When a project is delayed, the engaged workforce asks for additional working charges which lead to extra costs. In such a situation the analysis of schedule delay is done. As the part of it, critical path methodology is adopted.

In this way, the CPM is used to determine all factors using an analytical process to perform the forensic review. During the analysis, various points are connected by examining relevant data and documents are prepared.

How To Conduct CPM

The following are the steps required to conduct critical path methodology for a delayed project:

Analysis of the work plan is done thoroughly in order to estimate the intentions, project nature, potential delay factors and required activities.

Further, the estimation of duration, contract clauses, and human resources required and used, the terms and conditions of the work sequences and capital expenditures are analyzed.

The planned and actual project completion duration is assessed, and gaps are estimated.

The variation between the planned and performed activities is calculated to estimate work performance.

The effect of variance is calculated in order to figure out the results.

Formal reports are generated to make everything clear and understandable for the involved parties.

Takes Away

Critical Path Method was developed by the engineers of the Du Pont Company in the 1950s for its application in all scheduling work, construction projects, research and development programmes and in many other situations that require estimates of time and performance. It calls for dividing a programme or project into its elementary parts in their chronological order of sequence. By breaking a…

Critical Path Method (CPM) – Must technique for Project Planning

Critical Path Method (CPM) – A must needed technique for Project Planning Brief history Critical Path Method (CPM)was developed throughout late 50’s by a team consisting of Morgan Walker of Du Pont and James E. Kelly, Jr. of Remington Rand Corporation. The team was fashioned with associate objective of up the design and programming of advanced chemical plants. when arising with the basic thought…