What Is the Meaning of Critical Path Analysis?

A critical path analysis (CPA) or critical path method (CPM) is a robust tool that facilitates the development of a project schedule and planning of required project resources. Primarily, tasks depicted in the CPA are those focused on timely completion of the overall project. It also provides insight into tasks that can be suspended in the event resources need to be reallocated to complete critical project tasks.

Basics

A CPA is a representation of the required tasks for project completion, amount of time required to complete each task and dependencies between the tasks. It is typically generated using an automated project management or planning tool such as a project management software application or spreadsheet.

Elements

The diagrammatic elements used as part of the CPA tool are numbered nodes represented by circles and activity flow depicted by arrows or arcs. The numbered nodes correspond to project completion phases and the arrows or arcs that connect the nodes represent the activities or tasks associated with the project. The resulting diagram is referred to as an activity-on-arc (AOA) diagram. This diagram summarizes the network of interconnected task relationships to determine optimum critical path to project completion.

Significance

The information gleaned from a CPA provides insight into preparing the first draft of a project schedule. A CPA lends to the operational readiness of a project in determining the resources required to complete tasks and the relationship of each task to the overall project time line.

References

• Critical Path Analysis and PERT Charts
• Critical Path Method - Benefits
• Critical Path Method