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•Eight Greatest Computer Innovations that Actually Make Life Easier 79

then appended. If there is doubt about timescale or resources an optimistic, pessi-
mistic and most likely estimate is used. The network on its own is a useful tool since
it points out to the designer or project manager the inter-relationships involved in
the project.

Then the computer comes into its own. The critical path of vital core activities
is determined by considering each event in turn and calculating the earliest possible
time at which the event can occur. The characteristic of events and activities on a
critical path is that, if any of the time estimates is not met, the completion date of
the project is affected. The other activities are ones with ‘float’ – that is, an amount
of spare time for completion.

When a project includes thousands of activities and interaction with other project
networks, it is impossible to conceive of doing the relevant calculations without a
computer. Managers look for the following attributes in critical path programmes.
It must:

1 handle events and activities and their changing values
2 interrelate networks of different levels
3 accept progress data and produce progress reports
4 determine the critical path through a network.

Ask yourself

Would critical path analysis help to make sure your projects are under better
control?

Idea 47 – Connecting up the pieces

If you look in some supermarkets between the hours of 5 and 7 in the evening, you