Network Diagrams and schedule analysis

NETWORK DIAGRAMS ARE SCHEMATIC DISPLAYS OF PROJECT SCHEDULE ACTIVITIES AND THE INTERDEPENDENCIES BETWEEN THESE ACTIVITIES. WHEN DEVELOPED PROPERLY, THIS GRAPHICAL VIEW OF A PROJECT’S ACTIVITIES CONVEYS CRITICAL SCHEDULE CHARACTERISTICS REQUIRED TO EFFECTIVELY ANALYZE AND ADJUST SCHEDULES – THUS RESULTING IN ACCURATE AND FEASIBLE SCHEDULES. THIS DOCUMENT ADDRESSES WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NETWORK DIAGRAM, HOW NETWORK DIAGRAMS ARE CREATED, AND HOW THEY MAY BE ANALYZED TO IDENTIFY NECESSARY CORRECTIVE ACTIONS AND ENSURE OPTIMAL SCHEDULE DEFINITION.

Network Diagram Creation

Network diagrams can be created manually but are also available as project views in project scheduling …show more content…

• Critical Chain Method – The basis for the critical chain method is the same as the basis for the critical path method but with one key difference; the critical chain method accounts for resource limitations. By adding resource limits to the analysis, the result is that critical path is generally longer. The resource-constrained critical path is known as the critical chain. If resources are allocated in the scheduling tool, the network diagram will display the critical chain. Using the critical chain method involves adding duration buffers to project schedules to protect the targeted finish date from slippage. Duration buffers are added to the schedule as non-work schedule activities – one at the end of the critical chain and others at the end of each sequence of tasks that feeds into the critical chain. As a result, “buffer” time is integrated throughout the project schedule to account for duration uncertainty. Later in the project, project teams monitor project progress by reviewing the consumption rate of the buffers.

• Resource Leveling – Resource leveling is the process of changing schedule resource allocation to resolve over-allocations or conflicts. Resource leveling is applied to a schedule that has already been analyzed by the critical path method. This technique is used to adjust a project schedule if shared resources are only available at certain times, or in