What is Critical Path Analysis? Meaning.
Critical Path Analysis (CPA) is a type of network analysis planning
technique that is used to plan and manage complicated projects or business processes.
CPA is a form of network analysis used to decide the continuous
chain of operations critical to completion of a project or business process
by its scheduled completion date.
It was developed in the 1950s to manage large defense projects.
Applications of Critical Path Analysis
- Lay out all tasks that have to be completed as part of a complex project
- Basis for preparation of detailed schedules and resource planning
- Monitor the progress of goals
- Signal the need for remedial action in case of problems in the project. CPA shows diagrammatically the interrelations in sequence of all the activities in a project / business process in such a way as to highlight, which are critical for the due performance of the overall work.
Critical Path Analysis versus Gantt Charts
Advantages of CPA over Gantt Charts:
- CPA identifies tasks, which have to be completed on time
- CPA identifies tasks, which can be delayed without effecting the project completion time
- CPA identifies the minimum time required to finish a project
- CPA identifies which tasks one needs to focus on to speed op a project.
Disadvantages of CPA compared to Gantt Charts:
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CPA charts has no timeline, so the relation of tasks to time is less obvious.
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CPA charts are more difficult to understand (especially for beginners)
How to Perform a Critical Path Analysis. Drawing a CPA Chart
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List all activities in a project / process
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Determine the earliest start date
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Determine the required time for each task
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Determine which tasks can be run in parallel and which ones are sequential.
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Plot the activities in a CPA Chart, representing their logical relations by symbols.
Critical Path Analysis Special Interest Group.

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Critical Path Analysis / Method In-depth Project Planning, Project Management, Project Monitoring Extensive presentation about the Critical Path Analysis (CPA), also called the Critical Path Method (CPM). The following...
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Comprehensive Summary of Critical Path Analysis with Examples CPP, Critical Path Analysis Critical Path Practicals - These practicals provide hands on experience on some of the various critical path analysis re...
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How to Perform a Critical Path Analysis and Draw a CPA CHART? Practical Guide Critical Path Analysis, CPA, Critical Path Chart This CPA Practical Guide provides a step by step guidance to create and use CPA.
It has an example which is very helpfu...
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Compare also: Gantt Chart
| Business Process
Modeling | Milestone
| PRINCE2 |
OPM3 |
MSP |
PMMM
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