The Network Diagram

The Pert Chart or Network Path is crucial if the Project 2000 is going to be used to track a project and to perform what if analyses. As you would have seen in the training course it is the shuffling on of tasks that allows you to foresee scheduling conflicts and problems with meeting deadlines etc. If the path from the first task to the last task in the project does not include all tasks then the results when entering new data may not give you the information needed to predict problems.

The following methodology while it is certainly not the only technique used will ensure that there is a clear and easily followed path in your project. It involves LINKING all NON SUMMARY TASKS. The corollary of course is that Summary tasks are not linked.

1. Decide on the main phases

2. Enter the work-breakdown structure

3. Enter links / dependencies

· If there is no task that definitely starts the project put in a milestone “begin project”

· If there is no task that definitely finishes the project put in a milestone “project completed”

· For each group of subtasks put in a milestone such as “begin phase 1” to begin the group and a milestone such as “phase 1 completed” to finish the group.

· Do not link any summary tasks

· All non summary tasks with the exception of the project beginning task and the project completed task should have at least one predecessor and at least one successor

4. Check the Network Path using The Network Diagram and Filters

• Use the Network Diagram View showing id only to check relationships.
• Using a Gantt Chart View Check for tasks with no predecessors using the filter “My tasks with no Predecessors”
• Using a Gantt Chart View Check for tasks with no successors using the filter “My tasks with no successors”
• Using a Gantt Chart View Check for dangling tasks caused by SS relationships using “My SS” as a highlighting filter.
• Using a Gantt Chart View Check for problem tasks caused by FF relationships using “My FF as a highlighting filter

Free download

The four filters mentioned are “Pedalsoft creations”. You can download the abc project file, which has the four filters, from our downloads page.