Performing a Critical Path Analysis Presented by Jonathan

Performing a Critical Path Analysis Presented by Jonathan Japka, PMP Japka Management Moorestown NJ Jonathan_Japka@Japka. us

Critical Path - Agenda • • • Introduction Roles Definitions Analysis Methods Preparation Analysis with Primavera P 6 Avoiding Pit Falls Bonus: S-Curves Questions Jonathan Japka, PMP 2

Jonathan Japka, PMP • 11 years as independent consultant (2004 to present) Ø Astra. Zeneca, Lockheed Martin, Amtrak, Merck, NYC SCA Ø 2008 Primavera Excellence Award Amtrak Engineering – lead designer • 14 years with Primavera Systems PAR (1990 to 2004) Ø ETRAC in Cherry Hill NJ Ø Certified Instructor and Implementation Specialist • Villanova Univ. Instructor (1998 – 2009) Ø PMP Foundations Class Time and Cost Sections • PMP Certification since 1996 • Rutgers College of Engineering Ø BS Civil Engineering Ø Specialization in Construction Management Jonathan Japka, PMP 4

Latest Scheduling Tool. . Jonathan Japka, PMP 5

Latest Scheduling Tool. . See the schedule thru Rose’ colored glasses. . Jonathan Japka, PMP 7

Critical Path Roles • Scheduler Ø Perform Critical Path Analysis Ø Present Critical Path Report Ø Narrative • Project Management Ø Consumer of Scheduler work Ø Are We Meeting Key Milestones? Ø What's Driving the Milestones? Ø Use to make decisions !!! Jonathan Japka, PMP 8

Critical Path Goals Use Report and Narrative to make decisions! Story must be clear and concise! Jonathan Japka, PMP 9

Definitions • Critical Path Method Ø Creating a logical network of activities Ø Assigning durations to each activity. Ø Flowing the network to calculate; Early dates, Late dates, and total float. • Total Float Ø The difference between the late date minus the early date. Ø Amount of time a single task can be delayed without delaying project completion Jonathan Japka, PMP 10

Definitions • Critical Path Ø Path of activities with lowest float and determines the project completion date. Ø Longest path of activities through a project • Wikipedia definition Ø Is the sequence of project network activities which add up to the longest overall duration, regardless if that longest duration has float or not. Ø This determines the shortest time possible to complete the project. Ø There can be 'total float' (unused time) within the critical path Jonathan Japka, PMP 11

Critical Path Analysis Process of Identifying the Critical Path • Two basic methods • Lowest Float Ø Sort Activities by Total Float Ø Simple straight forward Ø Does not work with multiple calendars Ø Commingles Parallel Paths • Longest Path Ø Follow Driving Predecessor Jonathan Japka, PMP 12

Preparation • Clean up all open ends Ø Activities without predecessor Ø Activities without successor • Find with Ø Report, Filter, and/or Column • Warning!! Ø Activities with just a Start-to-Start successor are open ends Ø Add a Finish-to-Start and/or Finish-to-Finish Ø Hard to find, export relationships to Excel Jonathan Japka, PMP 13

Preparation • Remove “Start On” and “Finish-On” Constraints Ø Activities have zero float no matter what Ø Violates logic • Use Retained Logic schedule option Ø Progress override creates open ends • Uncheck “Make open ends critical” • Clean up Out-of-Sequence errors Ø Find with Schedule “Log” Report Ø Driving predecessor can go “through” a completed activity and then hard to find Jonathan Japka, PMP 14

Preparation • What is an Out-of-Sequence Error? Before B A After update FF x A B • Remedy Ø Remove logic tie – just wrong, or Ø Replace with a Finish-to-Finish Jonathan Japka, PMP 15

Preparation • Log report ( Error report ) Jonathan Japka, PMP 16

Let's go. . . • First Method Ø Lowest Float • Isolate Activities with a Filter Ø Hide Completed Activities Ø Hide Level of Effort Ø Hide WBS / Summary Activity • Group by Total Float Jonathan Japka, PMP 17

Presentation with Primavera P 6 Jonathan Japka, PMP 18

Critical Path by Float Jonathan Japka, PMP 19

Critical Path by Float • Weakness: Multiple Paths Commingled Jonathan Japka, PMP 20

Critical Path by Float • Weakness: Multiple Calendars Jonathan Japka, PMP 21

Critical Path by Float • Lowest Float Method Ø Float is Calendar Dependent Ø Does not work with multiple calendars Workweek 5 day duration 5 day 6 day 7 day A B Total Float 0 days TF 1 day TF C Jonathan Japka, PMP 2 days 22

Critical Path by Longest Path • Identifying Longest Path Ø From the predecessor window Ø Find activity with latest finish Ø “Driving” Predecessor D A B C Jonathan Japka, PMP 23

Driving Predecessor Jonathan Japka, PMP 24

Critical Path by Longest Path • Filter on Longest Path ( P 6 global filter ) Jonathan Japka, PMP 25

Critical Path by Longest Path • Does not always work Jonathan Japka, PMP 26

P 6 Multiple Path Tool • From the Schedule window; Options, Advance Choose Milestone you want to evaluate Jonathan Japka, PMP 27

P 6 Multiple Path Tool • Populates field called Float Path Jonathan Japka, PMP 28

P 6 Multiple Path Tool • Display of Multiple Path(s) Jonathan Japka, PMP 29

Reporting the Critical Path • No Method Seems to Capture it just right • Propose a hybrid approach Ø Use any method; Float, Longest, Multiple Ø Tag Activity with PATH Activity code • Report Ø Filter by PATH code Ø Group by PATH code Ø Sort by Finish, Start Jonathan Japka, PMP 30

Reporting the Critical Path • Tag Activity with PATH Activity Code Ø Create an Activity Code called PATH Ø Populate code with values 1 thru 20 • 1 = Critical Path • 2 = Path 2, etc. Ø Create Layout with PATH as a column • Follow the Path Ø Start with “Completion Milestone”, Tag Activity Ø Goto Driving Predecessor, Tag Activity Ø Use pop up box or right side floating box Jonathan Japka, PMP 31

Reporting Secondary Critical Paths • This is where you earn your keep!!! • Focus on the Here and Now Ø Suppress activities in future Ø Look ahead filters • Eliminate Parallel Path for Clarity Ø Remember it’s a tool for decisions • Sometime highlight for discussion Ø Problem Area’s Jonathan Japka, PMP 32

Reporting Critical Path(s) • The Skill Part Ø Tag and Goto Driving Predecessor Activity Ø Follow Branches • Follow “Path” until Ø Reach a completed activity Ø Reach an in-progress activity Ø Reach a Start Constraint • Review Report Ø Paths make senses? Ø Change Order ( change tag ) Ø Remove ( delete tag ) Jonathan Japka, PMP 33

Presentation with Primavera P 6 • Define PATH activity code Jonathan Japka, PMP 34

Presentation with Primavera P 6 • Layout Grouped by Float with PATH Column Jonathan Japka, PMP 35

Presentation with Primavera P 6 • Tag Activity with PATH code Jonathan Japka, PMP 36

Presentation with Primavera P 6 • Find and Go. To Driving Predecessor Jonathan Japka, PMP 37

Presentation with Primavera P 6 • Open Layout Filtered and Grouped by PATH code Jonathan Japka, PMP 38

Closing • Avoid Pit-Falls Ø Use Retain Logic Ø Clean up Open Ends Ø Clean up Out of Sequence Ø For parallel • Do not use negative lags • Use SS and FF with positive lags Ø Do not use FS with a lag • Replace with activities Ø Do not use On or Mandatory Constraints Jonathan Japka, PMP 39

S-Curve – Bonus Round Jonathan Japka, PMP 40

S-Curve Jonathan Japka, PMP 41

S-Curve • Simple Copy / Paste Ø From P 6 Layout Ø Enter baseline dates Ø Copy / Paste into Excel data table Ø Done! • Primavera P 6 Setup Ø Set up Baselines Ø Create Start and Finish UDF Ø Remove Actual A with Global Change Jonathan Japka, PMP 42

S-Curve – Baselines Jonathan Japka, PMP 43

S-Curve – UDF’s Jonathan Japka, PMP 44

S-Curve – Layout with Columns Jonathan Japka, PMP 45

S-Curve – Global Change Issue: remove that A at the end of the date Jonathan Japka, PMP 46

S-Curve – Layout with Columns Jonathan Japka, PMP 47

S-Curve – set up Excel dates Jonathan Japka, PMP 48

S-Curve – copy / paste Jonathan Japka, PMP 49

S-Curve – Data Table Jonathan Japka, PMP 50

Wa La! - S-Curve Jonathan Japka, PMP 51

Jonathan Japka, PMP n Custom Training n P 6 Support n Scheduling Jonathan Japka, PMP 52

Jonathan Japka, PMP n Custom Training n P 6 Support n Scheduling Jonathan_Japka@Japka. us • Services Ø Customized P 6 Training • Create training based upon your project Ø Initial Setup / Configurations Ø Heath Checks • Review installations analyzing for improvements Ø Program Scheduling (Multi Projects) Ø Project Scheduling Jonathan Japka, PMP 54

Jonathan Japka, PMP n Custom Training n P 6 Support n Scheduling For more information please contact: Jonathan R. Japka, PMP Japka Management 633 East Main St C 7 Moorestown NJ, 08057 Voice: 856 -380 -0731 Cell: 856 -296 -8265 Jonathan_Japka@Japka. us www. Japka. us Jonathan Japka, PMP 55