How do you determine the shortest and longest duration of your project?

Activities with zero float are considered part of the critical path and cannot be postponed without affecting the project's overall duration. The Critical Path Method (CPM) is a methodology employed to ascertain the sequence of activities with the lengthiest duration within a project and ascertain the shortest possible time required for project completion. This critical path represents the lengthiest series of interdependent activities depicted on a project network diagram.

From my background in leading digital projects within the insurance industry, I utilize the Critical Path Method (CPM) as a cornerstone of my project management approach because: ?The Critical Path Method (CPM) appeals to anyone with strategic thinking and goal-oriented approach in project management. ?CPM's focus on identifying the critical path, the longest sequence of dependent activities, aligns with my skill for prioritization. ?Estimating activity durations and mapping dependencies enable meticulous planning, which resonates with my detail-oriented nature. ?The forward and backward pass calculations empower me to optimize scheduling and resource allocation efficiently.

PERT, with its three estimates (optimistic, most likely, pessimistic), appeals to my analytical and creative nature. -It accommodates uncertainty, aligning with my preference for considering multiple angles. -The weighted average formula for expected duration adds precision to my meticulous approach. -Calculating standard deviation and variance enhances my ability to assess project timelines effectively. -PERT complements my strengths in project management and strategic thinking. To fully benefit from this technique, I embrace its ability to identify potential risks and opportunities, enabling proactive decision-making and ensuring a more successful project outcome.

Based on my experience and preferences, I find both CPM and PERT valuable, each with its own niche. CPM's simplicity and straightforwardness resonate with my inclination for clear, structured planning, making it ideal for projects with well-defined activities. On the other hand, PERT's complexity and ability to account for uncertainty align with my thorough approach to project management, especially in dynamic settings where activity durations may vary. For me the PERT technique seems to be more favorable. Its ability to handle uncertainty, variability, and dynamic activities aligns with a detail-oriented and meticulous approach to project management in a domain where outcomes may not always be fixed and predictable.

One of the things that people of a predictive nature have to accept, the customer is the king, and he defines values. Both Lean people and the Agile team have accepted it. We need prioritized requirement now in predictive to see what the customer wants and produce value accordingly and calculate duration on the basis of that. The old method of critical path which includes all activities maybe not be useful in upcoming years. We may need to make cirtical path depenedning on value.

Review lessons learned from previous projects and apply them to the current project. Past experiences can provide valuable insights into what factors can impact the duration of a project. This holistic approach helps minimise surprises and increases the likelihood of successful project delivery.