Why critical Path is shortest project duration? (2024)

Critical path is longest path on a network diagram.

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

Thanks
Puneet

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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

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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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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

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