NETWOR ANALYSIS

 Network scheduling is a technique used for planning and scheduling large projects in
the fields of constructions, maintenance, fabrication, purchasing computer system.
Installation, research development design etc.
 This technique is minimizing method of troubles spot such as production bottle necks,
delay and interruption by determining critical factor and coordinating various parts
of overall job.
 Network analysis is referred to a number of techniques, for the planning and control
of complex projects.
 The basis of network planning is representation of sequential relationship between
activities by means of network lines and circuits.
 The idea is to link the various activities in such a way that overall time spent on the
project is kept to minimum. The optimum linking of various stages is critical path.
ADVANTAGES:
 They provide a logical picture of the layout of sequence of complex project.
 They help to identify the activities and events which are critical to the entire project.
 They provide a basis for working of the cost and resources involved in the project.
 They act as focused point for action and coordination.
 They make an enormous contribution to the planning and especially control of
complex projects.
PERT: Program Evaluation Review Techniques
 It is a tool to evaluate a given program and review the progress made in it from time
to time. A program is also called a project.
 A program is defined as a set of activities with a specific goal occupying a specific
period of time.
 It is concerned with estimating the time for different stages in such a program or a
project and find out what the critical path is i.e which consumes maximum resources’.

CPM: Critical Path Method

 It assumes that the time required to complete an activity can be predicted fairly
accurately and cost involved can be qualified once the critical path has been
identified. CPM involved a tradeoff between cost and time in involves.
Determining an optimum duration for the project that is the minimum duration
which involves the lowest overall cost
Differences between PERT and CPM
 PERT CPM
1. It is event oriented 1. It is an activity oriented.
2. It is based on three time estimates 2. It is deterministic.
I. Optimistic
II. Pessimistic
III. Most likely

3. ‘PERT’ relating to time and isn’t 3. Time is related to cost.

related to cost 4. ‘CPM’ terminology involves
4. ‘PERT’ terminology includes arrow diagram, nodes and float.
network diagram, events, slack and 5. It is most /more realistic it
so on. considered the constants on the
5. It assumes that all the resource (man, resources.
money, material, machine) are
available as an when required.

Rules for constructing networks:-

1. A complete network should have only one point of entry event and only one point
of exit.
2. Every activity must have one preceding or tail event and one succeeding or head
event.
3. No activity can start until its tail event is reached.
4. An event is not complete until all activities leading into or complete.
5. All the activities must be tired into the network that is they must be contributing to
the progress.
6. It is better, if arrows don’t cross each other.
7. An arrow should always be straight, not curved and head from left to right.
8. The length of arrow should be uniform.
9. Loop network should be avoided.
10. Arrow cannot go back or backward.
11. Use dummies only when it is required.
CRITICAL PATH ANALYSIS:-
 The objectives of critical path analysis is to estimate the total project duration and
to design starting and finishing times all activities involved in the project.
 These helps in checking actual progress against the schedule duration of the
project.
 To achieve this object we carry out the special computations or calculations that
produce the following information.
 Total duration needed for completion of the project.
  Categorization of activities of object as being critical or non critical.
TIME ANALYSIS: Once the network of a project is constructed the time analysis of
network becomes essential for planning various activities of project. An activity is a
forecast of time. An activity is expected to make it starting point to its completion.(i,j) in
the ‘i’ is tail event and ‘j’ is head event .
Tij= estimated completion time of activity ij
ESij= earliest starting time of activity ij
EFij= earliest finishing time of activity ij
LSij= latest starting time of activity ij
LFij= latest finishing time of activity ij
The basic scheduling calculation/ competition can be put under the following three
groups :
Forward pass calculation or computations:
 Before starting calculation/computations
 The occurrence time of initial network event is fixed.
 The forward pass calculations is the earliest start the earliest finish time for each
activity (i,j) and indirectly the earliest occurrence time for each event ‘Eij’
This consists of following three steps;
a. The calculation / computation from start node move towards the end node. Let ‘a’ be
the starting time form the project.
b. Earliest starting time ESij= Ei is the earliest possible time.
When activity can begin, assuming that all of the predecessors also started at their
earliest start.
Finish time of activity i,j is the earliest starting time + activity time
EFij=ESij+tij
c. Earliest event time for event ‘j’ is maximum of the earliest finish time of all the
activities ending at that event.
Ej=Max( Ei+tij),(Ei+tij)
NOTE: The computation or calculated ‘E’ values of put over the respective rectangle
representing each event.

BACKWARD PASS CALCULATIONS/COMPUTATIONS

The latest event time (L) indicates the time by which all activities enter into that event
must be completion of without delaying the completion of project this can be calculated
by reversing the method of calculations used for the earliest event time (E). This is done
in the following steps:
1. For ending event assume E=1
 2. Latest finish time for activity i,j is the target time for completing the project
LFij=Lj
3. Latest starting time of the activity i,j is equal to latest completion time of i,j the
activity time
LSij=LFij-tij or Li-tij
4. Latest event time ‘i’ is the minimum of the latest start time of all the activities
organiating from the event.
Li=Min (Lj-tij),(Lj-tij)
NOTE: The computation ‘L’ values or put over the respective triangle representing each
event.
Determination of floats and slack time:
 Float is defined as the difference between the latest and earliest activity time.
 Slack is defined as the difference between the latest and earliest event time.
 Hence the basic difference between slack and float is that slack is used for events only
and float is used for activities only.

TOTAL FLOAT: It refers to the amount of time by which the completion of an activity
would be delayed beyond the earliest expected completion time without affecting the
overall project duration time.
 Mathematically the total float of an activity i,j is the difference between the latest start
time and earliest start time of that activity. Hence the total float for an activity i,j
denoted by TFij is calculated by the formula
TFij=(LS time-ES time) for activity i,j
TFij=LSij-ESij
TFij=(Lj-Ei)-tij
Where
Ei,Lj are the earliest and latest time for the tail event ‘i’ and head event ‘j’
Tij normal time for activity i,j
 This is the most important of float as it is concerned with the overall project duration.

FREE FLOAT: The time by which the completion of an activity can be delayed beyond
the earliest finish time without effecting the earliest start time of subsequent succeeding
activity.
 Mathematically the free float of an activity i,j denoted by FF ij can be calculated by
the formula
FFij=(Ej-Ei)-Eij
 Or
FFij=total float-head event slack
Head event slack=Lj-Ej
 This float is concerned with the commencement of subsequent activity. It can take
values from 0 upto float but it cannot succeed total float. This float is very useful for
rescheduling the activities with minimum distraction of earlier plans.

INDEPENDENT FLOAT: Amount of time by which the start of an activity can be

delayed without affecting the earliest start time of any immediately following activities.
Assuming that the preceding activity has finished at its latest finish time.
 Mathematically independent float of an activity i, j denoted by IF ij can be calculated
by the formula
IFij=(Ej-Li) tij
Or
IF=FF-Tail event slack
Tail event slack=Li-Ei
NOTE:
1. If the total activity (TFij) for any activity i,j is 0 then those activities are called
critical activities.
2. The float can be used to reduce project duration while doing these the float of not
only that activity but that of other activities would also change.