You've probably heard of CPM Scheduling at some point. While you may feel like you don't need to concern yourself with it, there's decent likelihood that you'll be up to your armpits in the Critical Path Method once that big project gets rolling. Yes, Primavera P6 does run all sorts of fancy algorithms when you hit F9 - but having at least a fundamental knowledge of how CPM Scheduling works is
Critical Path Method Scheduling : Tutorials and Articles
Browse these tutorials and articles with a focus on Critical Path Method scheduling and Primavera P6.
What is the DCMA 14-point schedule assessment?
7 CommentsIn 2005, US Defense Contract Management Agency implemented a 14-point schedule assessment to help the Department of Defense evaluate the enormous volume of contracts and schedules they were tasked with managing. Years later, the DCMA's 14-point Schedule Assessment has become a guideline that is widely used and has been incorporated into many software tools such as Deltek Acumen Fuse and
How to Show the Critical Path in P6
41 CommentsNot sure how to show the Critical Path in Primavera P6? Not sure if your project's critical activities might be hiding? Don't worry. Here are 4 easy ways you can laser-in on your project's Critical Path in P6 (including 3 reasons you might not have one). 4 Easy Ways to Show the Critical Path in Primavera P6 1. Check the Gantt Chart By default, the P6 Gantt chart will show your project's
A Go-To Guide to Building a Cringe-Worthy Primavera P6 Schedule
22 CommentsThe meeting had gone well. I was going to win some business and they were going to get complete Primavera P6 training for 10 schedulers. The day was looking up, until he asked me, as I was just about to head out the door, "Would you mind looking a schedule over for me? It should only take you a few minutes. We just hired a new scheduler and he put it together. I'd like your opinion on it."
Understand Hard Constraints vs Soft Constraints [in under 100 words]
11 CommentsPrimavera P6 supports 2 types of constraints; hard constraints and soft constraints. In Primavera P6, “Mandatory” constraints are hard constraints. Hard constraints stand out because they can break relationships. An activity that has a Mandatory Start or Finish date becomes fixed to that date. Relationships to that activity are ignored – the activity will not move even if its predecessors push
Critical Path vs Longest Path
37 CommentsWhen it comes to your project's Critical Path, there are few topics more important to your client. The expectation is that YOU, dear scheduler, are the expert. So YOU had better know your project's Critical Path inside and out. But wait! ......Is it the Critical Path you should be reporting on, or the Longest Path? The terms Critical Path and Longest Path are often used interchangeably when
How can I force an activity onto my project’s Critical Path?
14 CommentsLast week, I taught a Primavera P6 training course to some great folks in frosty Fort McMurray. As often happens, an interesting question came up about Critical Path. And this is not the first time this question has been put to me. But this time, I thought I would write about it. "How do I put an activity on my project's Critical Path in Primavera P6?" So here's the situation. A project