What is the longest distance path through the project which determines the shortest duration?

3.“The shortest total length of a project is determined by the longest path through the network.”Explain the concept behind this statement.Why does the longest path determine the shortest projectlength?This is based on the concept of critical path.The critical path combines the project activity network (the order to be followed forstart/completion of activities) and the estimated time duration of activities in the sequence (howlong each activity will take to complete) to determine the length of time required to completethe project.The longest path of sequential events is used to establish the project’s duration because theevents in the path must be performed one after another.Adding the duration times of activities in the critical path will result in the shortest project length(i.e., how long it will take to perform required serial activities).

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Puneet Maheshwari
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Critical path is longest path on a network diagram.

However it is also called shortest project duration... How?

Thanks

Puneet

Gail Freedman
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Hi Puneet, Yes, the critical path is the longest overall duration for the sequenced activities. It is not the shortest project duration and it is the shortest time possible to complete the project. Hope that helps. Thanks,

Gail

Gail Freedman, MBA, PMP, CSM

Anonymous
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Sorry,
Please elaborate the difference between time and duration? I didn't get your reply....!

Harry Elston
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Anon: Let me try: Tasks A, B, C and D all take 5 days. A must be before B and C can start. D is the final task B and C can be run in parallel after A. The Network Diagram is: A --> B/C --->D The critical path is 15 days, not 20, because B and C can be done simultaneously (Afer A) Hope that helps.

Harry

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Harry J. Elston, Ph.D., CIH, PMP

Anantha Narayanan Santhanagopalan
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Hi Anonymous, Take this example - Dining with friends. You all go for dinner (say 3 people). Everyone orders food and start eating... Person 1 - Takes 45 mins for eating Person 2 - Takes 20 mins for eating Person 3 - Takes 55 mins for eating. Everyone can leave only after person 3 completes his/her food. So the longest path would be reaching restaurant --> Ordering food --> Person 3 finishing the dinner --> paying bills This is also the shortest time they can complete the dining. Now lets explain float as well Person 3 cannot have any slack. Meaning - he cannot attend any phone calls/use restroom, if he/she does take a break it will still delay the dining. Whereas person 2 and person 1 can take a break/do other things while they are eating. So activities in critical path ideally cannot have float. Hope this helps. Regards,

Anantha

The following user(s) said Thank You: Gabriella Dellino, PMP, Ujwala Karanam, Elizabeth Harrin, Jack Lee

Anonymous Visitor

Anonymous
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lovely example Anantha!!!

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