Question

How to calculate the critical path

Answer 1

Here are the steps to calculate the critical path manually:
Step 1: Write down the start and end time next to each activity.

The first activity has a start time of 0, and the end time is the duration of the activity.
The next activity’s start time is the end time of the previous activity, and the end time is the start time plus the duration.
Do this for all the activities.

Step 2: Look at the end time of the last activity in the sequence to determine the duration of the entire sequence.

Step 3: The sequence of activities with the longest duration is the critical path.

Using the same example above, here’s what the critical path diagram might look like:

Steps to calculate the critical path manually (infographic)
Once you have the critical path figured out, you can build the actual project schedule around it.

Answer 2

Step-by-step explanation:

The critical path is the longest path through a project network diagram, which includes all the activities that are critical to the completion of the project. In order to calculate the critical path, you will need to follow these steps:

Identify all the activities that need to be completed for the project.

Determine the duration of each activity. This can be estimated based on past experience or expert opinion, or by conducting time studies.

Create a network diagram that shows the sequence of activities and their dependencies. This can be done using software such as Microsoft Project or by drawing a diagram manually.

Identify the earliest start and finish times for each activity, based on the dependencies and durations.

Identify the latest start and finish times for each activity, based on the project deadline.

Calculate the total float or slack for each activity, which is the amount of time that an activity can be delayed without affecting the overall project completion date.

Identify the critical path, which is the longest path through the project network diagram that has zero total float or slack. This means that any delay in one of the activities on the critical path will cause a delay in the overall project completion date.

Once you have identified the critical path, you can focus your attention on managing and monitoring the activities on that path to ensure that the project stays on schedule.