Business and technology qualifications, Levels 3-6, in Brussels. Explore qualifications
Portal login
Level 6 Diploma in Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Critical Path Method and Schedule Optimization

LSC604 · Project Management — Week 5 of 16

CourseLSC604
Week5 of 16
SemesterII
TutorOnline in the course chat

This week’s topics

Critical Path Method and Schedule Optimization

  1. Forward and backward pass calculations
  2. Total and free float determination
  3. Schedule crashing and fast-tracking
  4. Resource leveling

What you will be able to do

  • 2.2 Analyse the network techniques of analysis.
  • 2.3 Describe the critical path method in project management in business.

Activity

Seminar, guided reading and a short written task: analyse the network techniques of analysis.

Study materials

Videos

  • CRITICAL PATH METHOD in PROJECT MANAGEMENT | Project Scheduling Network Diagram| Operations Research · YouTube · PMPwithRay · 39 min · for registered students
  • Project Scheduling - PERT/CPM | Finding Critical Path · YouTube · Joshua Emmanuel · 7 min · for registered students
  • Calculating Critical Path with Forward and Backward Pass - Key Concepts in Project Management · YouTube · David McLachlan · 5 min · for registered students
  • Use forward and backward pass to determine project duration and critical path · YouTube · Engineer4Free · 7 min · for registered students
  • Critical Path Method (CPM) Made Simple: A Complete Guide · YouTube · PM Aspirant · 25 min · for registered students
  • Network Charts: What's the Difference between PERT and CPM? · YouTube · Online PM Courses - Mike Clayton · 8 min · for registered students

Further resources

  • MIT OCW ESD.36 System Project Management (Fall 2012), Critical path method · PDF · MIT OpenCourseWare, slides · for registered students
  • Foundations of Information Systems, 9.2: Project objectives and schedule · PDF · OpenStax, textbook chapter; pp. 348–349 · for registered students
Materials marked “for registered students” open in the student portal, which is set up as soon as you receive final acceptance.
Week 4Week 6
Course chat

Admitted students ask questions on this week’s page in the student portal: an AI assistant trained on the course answers first, and during the course’s timetabled classes Connect to your tutor brings your tutor into the chat, who may start a call if needed.

Open this week in the portal
Course plan
  • Week 1: Strategic Role of Project Management
  • Week 2: Project Planning Tools and Methodologies
  • Week 3: Technical Feasibility and Location Selection
  • Week 4: Network Analysis Techniques
  • Week 5: Critical Path Method and Schedule Optimization
  • Week 6: Capital Structure and Conventional Project Financing
  • Week 7: Contemporary and Alternative Project Finance
  • Midterm: Midterm evaluation
  • Week 9: Project Execution, Monitoring, and Control
  • Week 10: Risk Monitoring and Quality Governance
  • Week 11: Project Closure and Post-Implementation Evaluation
  • Week 12: Applying Project Management in practice: case studies
  • Week 13: Assignment workshop: research, planning and referencing
  • Week 14: Assignment workshop: drafting, feedback and improvement
  • Week 15: Review and coursework completion
  • Final: Final assessment and submission
Back to the course
Scroll