Final answer:
The project network is a tool used for planning, scheduling, and monitoring a project's progress through a visual representation of tasks and dependencies. It helps project managers understand the critical path and manage timelines more effectively, but it is not used for developing a WBS or collecting general project information.
Step-by-step explanation:
The project network is used primarily for planning, scheduling, and monitoring project progress. It is a visual representation of the tasks, dependencies, and the sequence of activities needed to complete a project. By creating a graphic flow chart of the project plan, project managers can better understand the critical path, which is the longest stretch of dependent activities and therefore determines the shortest time to complete the project. The project network is not used for developing the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), collecting information for the project plan, or unrelated concepts like the budget for product development, drawings for product design, the engineering design process, or the rate of the flow of water through a hose.
To create a project network, you would analyse the problem and identify the given information and any dependencies between tasks. An effective approach is to draw a timeline or a flowchart, which helps illustrate the sequence of tasks and milestones. This provides a clear and visual method to plan and schedule the work to be completed, making it easier to identify any potential bottlenecks or delays before they happen.