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6.5.6 Critical Path

Know how to
Critical path is the longest path on the project network diagram. It recognize a critical
typically has no slack yet the duration can change as the project evolves. path and why it is
A project can have multiple critical paths. important.
A project can have negative slack if it were behind schedule. For example:
a project was to take 20 weeks to complete. After 24 weeks, it is still not complete.
With the assumption that management had not approved a new date yet, the slack is
negative four weeks because the project should have been done four weeks earlier.
The greatest project risk normally occurs on the critical path. The project
end date can be delayed if an activity on the critical path has a problem. The increase
or slippage of an activity on the critical path can cause the overall finish date to slip.

6.5.7 How to Calculate the Critical Path

Examine the following word problem or data table for the data to create a
network diagram then determine the critical path.
When the project starts, Activity A (4 days) and B (5 days) can begin. When
Activity A is done, Activity C (4 days) can begin. When Activity B is done, Activity
D (2 days) can begin. Activities C and D must finish before Activity E (6 days) can
begin. Activity F (1 day) can begin when Activity D is complete. Activity G can
begin when Activities E and F are complete. When Activity G (5 days) is complete,
the project is complete.
The durations are in the following table.

Activity Preceding Activities Duration in days

A Start 4
B Start 5
C A 4
D B 2
E C, D 6
F D 1
G E, F 5

4 4 6

A C E
5

Start G Finish

5 2 1

B D F

Figure 6-15: Network Diagram for Critical Path Analysis (A)

Paths: A,C,E,G = 19 B,D,E,G =18 B,D,F,G =13

The critical path is the path that is the longest. That is path A,C,E,G with a
total of 19 days. Some rules to remember are as follows:
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1. If given a word problem, draw the network diagram and double

check that you have connected everything correctly and have labeled
the activities and durations correctly.

2. List out all paths on the network diagram (example B,E,D,J, etc.)
then add up the durations path by path so you can see the overall
duration of each path. We recommend that you use a top to bottom
approach when listing out the paths, meaning that you list the paths
as they start at the top of the diagram and work toward those on the
bottom. With the diagram in this example, you list the paths in the
following order: Paths ACEG, BDEG, BDFG -- the paths of the
network diagram. By working from the top to the bottom, you
ensure that you don't accidentally miss a path. Be sure to use the
letters of the path, not the durations, because that can get confusing
during exam questions. For example, use ACEG instead of 4,4,6,5
when listing the paths.

3. Determine the longest (duration) path of all that are listed. That is
the critical path.

6.5.8 Forward and Backward Pass Calculation

A forward and backward pass calculation is a standard calculation used to
determine the critical path of the network diagram. It also shows how much slack (or
float) there is for an activity, which is the amount of time an activity can slip before
delaying the next activity. It also shows how much total slack there is, which is how
much time an activity can slip before it delays the project finish date.
When doing analysis of the network diagram with the forward pass, you will
calculate the forward pass and backward pass.
To do the forward pass, you will make the early start (ES), or the first task, 0
and add the duration to it for your first early finish (EF). After this, you take the early
finish (EF) of a task and the task that comes after it has that early finish (EF) number
as it’s early start (ES). When you have multiple tasks coming into one task, for
example A=3, B=5, C=7 (early finishes), you would take the C=7 (The largest of the
early finishes (EF) and move that number into the early start (ES) of the following
activity.
For the backward pass, you will take the early finish (EF) of a single task at
the end of the diagram, or the later of multiple early finishes (EF) that end a diagram
and make that number your late finish (LF) of all activities at the end of the diagram.
You then take the late finish (LF) and subtract the duration from it to calculate the
late start (LS). If you have multiple tasks coming together into a task, you select the
smallest late start (LS) and that becomes the late finish (LF) of the next task going
backwards.
Remember the Forward pass starts at the start (left) of the network diagram
and works through to the finish establishing the Early Start (ES) and Early Finish
(EF) of the activities. The Backward pass starts at the finish and works backward to
the left of the diagram establishing the Late Finish (LF) and Late Start (LS) of the
network diagram.

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There are two approaches to a forward/backward pass: start counting from day 0 or start
counting from day 1. This document shows how do to day 0 analysis of the network diagram.
You don’t need to know both day 0 and day 1 approaches. Choose one to use.

Forward Pass Provides the early start (ES) and early finish (EF) dates of each activity on the
Purpose network diagram
Forward Pass ES+Duration=EF
Formula
Variables Early Start (ES) - The earliest an activity can start based on network diagram logic
Early Finish (EF) - The earliest an activity can finish based on network diagram
logic
Duration - The length of an activity
Convergence - Where the output of more than one activity is a predecessor to an
activity on the network diagram, select the biggest early finish (EF) for the early
start (ES) of the next task.
Assumptions A day starts at 8:00 a.m. and finishes at 5:00 p.m. The first task starts with 0 as the
early start (ES).
Starting Point At the left of the network diagram, typically the start activity

Use Figure 6-16: Network Diagram for Critical Path Analysis to start your
calculation.

Figure 6-16: Network Diagram for Critical Path Analysis

How to Perform a Forward Pass

We recommend that you read the section below at least once then try to work
the steps on the diagram above.

1. Set the early start (ES) of Activity A to 0.

2. Apply the forward pass formula (EF=ES+Duration) to the network
diagram activity-by-activity from start to finish. If you encounter a
convergence (see in step 3), return to the beginning of the diagram
and continue this step for all activities leading into the convergence.
As you move from one activity to another, increment the early finish
(EF) of the current activity by one to give you the early start (ES) of
the next activity. For example, Activity A has an early finish (EF) of
3; the early start (ES) of the following activity is 4.
3. Wherever you encounter a convergence, select the larger of the early
finish (EF) values and continue applying the forward pass formula
from start to finish on the network diagram.

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Forward  Pass
Legend Convergence  (into  activity  D)  choose  the  bigger  of  the  early  finish  values  from  activity  B  and  activity  C,  then  use  that  value  for  
the  early  start  of  activity  D
ES Duration EF
3+2=5 5+2=7 7+3=10
Task  Name

LS Slack LF 3 2 5 5 2 7 7 3 10

B D F

0+3=3                   12+5=17
0 3 3
12 5 17
Start A
H Finish
3+1=4 4+4=8 8+4=12
     
     
3 1 4 4 4 8 8 4 12

C  E G

Formula
                 
EF=ES+  Duration

Figure 6-17: Forward Pass Calculation Description

4. Perform steps 2 and 3 until you have applied the forward pass
formula to all activities. The forward pass is complete at this point.
The network diagram should also be complete. The calculations are not part
of a typical diagram but are shown for clarification.

Forward  Pass
Legend
ES Duration EF
3+2=5 5+2=7 7+3=10
Task  Name

LS Slack LF 3 2 5 5 2 7 7 3 10

B D F

0+3=3                   12+5=17
0 3 3
12 5 17
Start A
H Finish
3+1=4 4+4=8 8+4=12
     
     
3 1 4 4 4 8 8 4 12

C  E G
Formula
                 
EF=ES+  Duration

Figure 6-18: Forward Pass

How to Perform a Backward Pass

Backward Provides the late start (LS) and late finish (LF) dates of each of
Pass Purpose the activities on the network diagram
Backward LF-Duration=LS
Pass Formula
Variables Late start (LS) - The latest an activity can start based on the
network diagram logic
Late finish (LF) - The latest an activity can finish based on the
network diagram logic
Duration - The length of an activity
Burst – Where an activity has multiple outputs that are
Predecessors to more than one activity, select the smaller late
start (LS) to become the next late finish (LF).
Assumptions A day starts at 8:00 a.m. and finishes at 5:00 p.m.
Starting Point At the right of the network diagram, typically the finish or end
activity

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Chapter 6 Time

1. The late finish (LF) becomes the same as the early finish (EF) on the
last activity (also, the duration of the critical path). If the network
diagram ends with multiple activities, the Late Finish (LF) for all is
the greatest Early Finish (EF).
2. Apply the backward pass formula (LF-Duration=LS) from the finish
(right) to the start (left) of the network diagram. If you encounter a
burst (see Figure 6-19: Backward Pass Calculation Description in
this step), return to the finish (right) of the diagram and continue this
step for all activities leading (from the right to the left) into the burst.
As you move from one activity to another, decrease the late start
(LS) by one to give you the late finish (LF) of the next activity. For
example, Activity H has a late start (LS) of 13; the activity that
precedes it has a late finish (LF) of 12.
Legend
ES Duration EF

Task  Name

LS Slack LF
Backward  Pass
Formula Burst  (from  activity  C)  choose  the  smaller  of  the  late  start  values  from  activity  D  and  
LF  -­‐  Duration  =  LS activity  E,  then  use  that  value  for  the  late  finish  of  activity  C

3 2 5 5 2 7 7 3 10
B D F
5 2 7 7 2 9 9 2 12
0 3 3 7-­‐2=5 9-­‐2=7 12-­‐3=9 12 5 17
Start A H Finish
0 0 3 12 0 17
3-­‐3=0 3 1 4 4 4 8 8 4 12
C E G 17-­‐5=12

3 0 4 4 0 8 8 0 12
4-­‐1=3 8-­‐4=4 12-­‐4=8
Figure 6-19: Backward Pass Calculation Description

3. At any burst on the network diagram, select the smaller of the late
start (LS) values.
4. Perform steps 2 and 3 until all activities are done. At this point, the
network diagram should look like the following.
Legend
ES Duration EF

Task  Name

LS Slack LF
Backward  Pass
Formula Burst  (from  activity  C)  choose  the  smaller  of  the  late  start  values  from  activity  D  and  
LF  -­‐  Duration  =  LS activity  E,  then  use  that  value  for  the  late  finish  of  activity  C

3 2 5 5 2 7 7 3 10
B D F
5 2 7 7 2 9 9 2 12
0 3 3 7-­‐2=5 9-­‐2=7 12-­‐3=9 12 5 17
Start A H Finish
0 0 3 12 0 17
3-­‐3=0 3 1 4 4 4 8 8 4 12
C E G 17-­‐5=12

3 0 4 4 0 8 8 0 12
4-­‐1=3 8-­‐4=4 12-­‐4=8
Figure 6-20: Backward Pass

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Critical Path: The critical path is the longest path in the network diagram.
Any activities on the critical path have an early start and late start that are the same
value, as well as an early finish and late finish that are the same value. They have
zero slack, meaning that if any of those activities slips, the overall network diagram
slips as well.

6.5.9 Forward and Backward Pass Substitute Technique

Know how to do a
To calculate the slack (float) of a path (or activity): forward pass and
a backward pass
1. Calculate the critical path of the network diagram. substitute
2. Determine which paths have the activity for which you are technique on a
network diagram.
calculating slack. (Ex: All the paths that have Activity B in them, if
they are the activities you are calculating the slack for.)
3. Determine which path is the longest. (If it is the critical path, you
have zero slack.)
4. Subtract the total duration of the longest path (with the activity for
which you are determining slack) from the critical path; the
difference is the slack for that path or activity.
(You will not be quizzed on the slack for multiple activities on one path.)

If the path under review is not at the end of the path, you can still use this
method. Other methods show subtracting all the activities one by one until you have
the slack value you are calculating for. You need to do that method only if you must
calculate an early start or early finish of an activity. The next paragraph covers
calculation of the early/late start and finishes.

6.5.10 Network Diagram Analysis

Occasionally on the exam, you may see a question requiring you to calculate
duration or slack fromFigure 6-21: Network Diagram Analysis. The arrows and
formulas below show what you need to calculate the duration or slack. The arrows
point in the direction that you start the formula from (late start or finish with slack,
for example). The formulas you can memorize are also listed. Remember, if the
activity is on the critical path, the slack is zero.

Alternative method to calculate the slack or float of an activity:

Use the formula LF-EF (late finish-early finish) or LS-ES (late start-early
start) to calculate the slack of an activity by using the date provided in the exercise.
If the difference is zero, the activity is on the critical path. If the value is negative,
the activity has negative float and could be on the critical path or another activity,
depending upon the health of the project.

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Chapter 6 Time

Network  Diagram  Analysis

Forward  Pass
EF  =  ES  +  Duration  

Early  Start Early  Finish

Duration
(ES) (EF)

Slack  =  LF  -­‐  EF

Slack  =  LS  -­‐  ES

Task  Name
Late  Start Slack Late  Finish
(LS) (Float) (LF)

Backward  Pass
LF  -­‐  Duration  =  LS
Figure 6-21: Network Diagram Analysis

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