Construction Projects

Critical Path Method in Construction

If you search on the internet you will find out that critical path method is applicable to almost any type of project you could think of. Whether you are dealing with a project of greater size or smaller, dealing with a project simple and easy or one with complex activities involved, this technique can easily assist you with them all. You will be glad to know about the success rate of projects that have used the critical path method. The important point to note in any case studies and statistics about the success rates of projects using critical path method is that there is always a mentioning of applying the technique the right way.

In short, you can’t reach the desired results if you are not properly implementing the technique. You could have the best weapon in the world in the battlefield but you will not be able to do anything with it if you don’t know how to use it: same is the case with critical path method.

About CPM

There are many other techniques that go side by side with critical path method (cpm) when you are talking about project management. However, you have to understand the basic difference between other techniques and the critical path method.

Some techniques are more focused on the tasks while some give you information about the resources and their allocation within the project. Critical path method on the other hand gives you information about the activities of the project: you could say that it gives you a deeper look into the project. It must be made sure that when you are plotting a critical path analysis diagram, you must have knowledge of all the activities that are directly or indirectly playing a role in the speed of your project.

Role Of Critical Path Method In Construction

PERT, CPM and CCPM can all be used in a project to make sure that you have an upper hand in knowing the progress of your project from all angles. Here’s how the basic components of the critical path method in construction projects:

  • When you are thinking of working on your project with the help of critical path method, you have to gather information about all the activities that will be involved in your project throughout. You have to assess all the activities and make sure that you put them in the right category: you want to put the one that are independent in the independent ones and vice versa.
  • Once you have categorized the activities, you can start plotting them and put them in boxes as required. You can then link the activities that are interconnected and correlated. You have to make sure to give special place to the techniques or highlight the ones that are most critical to your project. You wouldn’t want to overlook the critical activities that could easily slow down the entire project.
  • Plotting comes way ahead into the project, the first thing you have to do is plan for the project. Proper planning is not possible unless you make use of at least one of the techniques specified for managing projects. Critical path method will tell you the path that will require the longest time for completing your project. If you follow this path, it will definitely show you the highest time to finish the project but will also make sure that you are taking care of all activities involved in the project.
  • Another important thing to take notice of while managing a project is the delay in activities. You must make sure that you have a plan to take care of the delayed activities because if you don’t have a plan for them, you are definitely compromising on the integrity of your project and its deadline.

There are hundreds of ways you can take advantage from this wonderfully amazing technique and the construction industry is one of the industries greatly benefiting from the critical path method.

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