Critical path activities

The critical path activities that directly impact on the completion time... 

IS Print critical path activities 0 Print critical time constraints [H Print critical path events O Change colors on critical path... 

Project manager Team administrator Optional administration delegate to project teams, usually sent to ensure adherence to timelines and critical path activities in larger companies... 

The Z value is the number of standard deviations the new duration or target date lies from the mean or expected duration. To find the project s expected duration, add up the expected activity times for the activities on the critical path. Remember, the critical path consists of activities 1-3-4. The TMS project is expected to last 60 days. Remember there is a desire to reduce the project duration by 5 days to 55 days. Next, add up the variances for the critical path activities. 

Float time = Critical path - Activity time... 

A technique widely used by the industry is Critical Path Analysis (CPA or Network Analysis ) which is a method for systematically analysing the schedule of large projects, so that activities within a project can be phased logically, and dependencies identified. All activities are given a duration and the longest route through the network is known as the critical path. 

In the example above the relationship between four activities of different duration is shown. In this case the critical path is indicated by the lowest route (six days), since the last activity cannot start until all the previous activities have been completed. 

Can the tire be changed in 470 seconds if only two people are working Let us consider that the father performs every activity on the critical path. This fully occupies his time. One of his children must then be able to perform all the other activities, and reach every node at the same time or before he does. The activities that are not on the critical path and must be done before task I can begin are A, B, F, and G. The total time needed to complete these tasks is 255 seconds. To complete thethe job in 470 seconds, task I must be started 190 seconds (time to complete C, D, E, and H) after beginning the job. Therefore, two persons cannot hope to finish the job in 470 seconds. The reader should try to figure out the shortest time that two people would take to finish the job. Could three persons finish it in 470 seconds ... 

For instance, a company might have a 50-day supply of product available, but be incurring a 250-a-day fine from the Environmental Protection Agency for each day it operates without a scrubber. Under these circumstances, it might be expedient not to crash those activities on the critical path whose slopes are greater than 250 per day. 

Whether the person feels the activity is on the critical path. 

The slack is the difference between the latest time at which an activity must be completed to meet a schedule and the earliest time at which it can be completed. This would be the same as the float if the normal rather than the expected times are used and if the desired completion date is the minimal time required to complete the project. The items with the minimum slack are on the critical path. Thus, by following this procedure the items on the critical path are determined without the use of a diagram. 

List all the activities involved in either making a float for thehomecoming parade or decorating a house for homecoming. Assume both displays will be judged at night, so lighting is essential. Put a time on each activity and obtain the critical path. Which items can be and should be crashed to finish ahead of time ... 

Assume each activity in Table 13-P6 begins at its earliest starting time, and determine the critical path and the minimum and maximum manpower needs. Then manipulate the activities to minimize the variance in manpower requirements, assuming the project is to be completed in the shortest possible time. 

The importance of documenting internal processes in the form of SOPs has already been mentioned. Any activity forming part of the development plan is a process. Each SOP should be looked on as a dynamic document and opportunities for improving each process should be sought continually. For example, the time that elapses between the last patient completing a clinical trial and production of the statistical report is an activity very much on the critical path. 

If the scope of work involves the manufacture of Phase III Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) materials, advanced monitoring would be pertinent since this activity could result in the success or failure of a critical path project. The sponsor must be confident that the systems are in place to effectively produce the desired deliverable(s) to complete the project. 

Figure 11.1 An example of the activities that are likely to form the critical path for the development of a drug. MAA is the market authorization application that a company has to submit in Britain in order to produce and market a drug...

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