Peak One · Knowledge
Not every delay moves your project. Only the ones on the critical path.
The critical path is the longest chain of tasks that depend on each other. It sets the earliest possible end date. In the demo you delay a task and see whether the end moves with it.
An example
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Example: Six tasks, two chains. Design, build and test take 18 days together, copy and images 9 days. The critical path is the first chain. In the demo Jonas delays the copy by five days and the end stays. If he delays the build by two days, the end moves by two.
Try it
What happens if …?
Sample data · nothing is savedGo-live stays at day 24
Critical path: Concept → Design → Build → Go-live。
Interactive demo with invented sample data. No account, nothing is saved or sent.
The method
1. List tasks and durations
Each task with an estimated duration in working days.
2. Set dependencies
For each task: which one must be finished first? Usually finish to start.
3. Forward pass
Each task's earliest start is the latest earliest finish of its predecessors. This gives the earliest project end.
4. Backward pass
From the project end, work out the latest finish of each task that does not move the end.
5. Work out float
Total float = latest start minus earliest start. Tasks with zero float lie on the critical path.
What follows from it
Your attention belongs on the critical path. If a task there gets shorter or runs in parallel, the end can move forward until another path becomes critical.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is the critical path?
The longest chain of tasks that depend on each other in a project. Its total duration is the earliest possible project end.
Can there be several critical paths?
Yes, when two chains are equally long. Then both are critical.
What is float?
The time a task can slip without moving the project end. On the critical path it is zero.
Does the critical path change?
Yes. When tasks finish faster or slower, another chain can become the longest. That is why it pays to check it regularly.
Attention where it counts.
If you know the critical path, you know which delay moves the project and which does not.
Try the path