Project Management

Home / Discussions / Project Management Central /

Can someone help me to explain what is the meaning of Near Critical Path?

Tam Nguyen Annandale, Va, United States

Can someone help me to explain what is the meaning of Near Critical Path?

Posted: Jul 1, 2017 8:22 PM

Sort By:

Anonymous

Your critical path might be 275 days - so any path cloth to this; maybe 260 to 274 days would be classified as near critical

...

1 reply by Tam Nguyen

Jul 02, 2017 6:11 PM

Tam Nguyen

...

thank you so much

Posted: Jul 2, 2017 2:44 AM

Mahalmadane Touré Engineer| National Headquarters of Geology and Mines of Mali (Bamako) Mali

The near critical path is the longest path after the critical path. For instance the critical path can be 66 days and the near critical path can be 65 days. As project management processes are iterative and the scope of the project can evolve with new information available throughout the project life cycle. So does the near critical path can evolve and become the critical path. Because of this as a project manager you should pay attention to the near critical path too while managing the project.

...

1 reply by Tam Nguyen

Jul 02, 2017 6:11 PM

Tam Nguyen

...

much appreciate your answer.

Posted: Jul 2, 2017 11:16 AM

Tam Nguyen Annandale, Va, United States

thank you so much

Posted: Jul 2, 2017 6:11 PM

Tam Nguyen Annandale, Va, United States

Jul 02, 2017 11:16 AM

Replying to Mahalmadane Touré

...

The near critical path is the longest path after the critical path. For instance the critical path can be 66 days and the near critical path can be 65 days. As project management processes are iterative and the scope of the project can evolve with new information available throughout the project life cycle. So does the near critical path can evolve and become the critical path. Because of this as a project manager you should pay attention to the near critical path too while managing the project.

much appreciate your answer.

Posted: Jul 2, 2017 6:11 PM

Deepesh Rammoorthy ICT Project Manager ( PMP®AgilePM®Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®))| Australian Red Cross Blood Service Tarneit, Vic, Australia

Hi Tam
It will be useful to practice a Few Project Schedule network diagrams to understand this Concept. You can try Headfirst or Rita's Book for some examples on this concept.
You create Schedule Network Diagrams as an output of the process called as Sequence Activities in Time Management Knowledge Area. The tool is called as a Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM).
Once you draw a network diagram, you need to calculate the Critical Path . This will be the longest path in the diagram from start to finish , which will enable you to complete the Project and it is also the shortest duration for you to complete the project.
You add up the durations of all activities along the path and come up with a number lets say 34 days
The Near Critical Path will be the path with the next longest duration and it will be less than 34.
Mind you, you could easily end up with two paths with a duration of 34 days and this can be expected. This just means that there are more risks and you may need to apply schedule optimization techniques.

Posted: Jul 4, 2017 8:45 PM

Please login or join to reply

ADVERTISEMENTS

"Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent."

- Eleanor Roosevelt

ADVERTISEMENT