Activity on the node

By
Dr. Mahdi Damghani
 Precendance diagrams
 Unlike Arrow Diagramming that uses the
arrows for activities and nodes for the
start and end of activities, Precedence
Diagramming places the activity on the
nodes and uses arrows between the
nodes to show the sequence between
each activity


 Precedence Diagramming is also called
"activity-on-the-node"
 Advantages
 Physically easier to produce and require far
less draughtsman ship

 The need for dummy activities is eliminated

 Additional information can be inserted in the
network without affecting the legibility of
the finished plan

 They allow a closer co-ordination between
the network and the resultant linked bar
chart

 Time delays can be introduced easier than
with arrow networks
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
Example 5
 Example 6

NOTE : You can say that

activities A & B merge at D
Layout of activity boxes

EST Activity EFT

Ref No

LST Duration LFT

 Analysis
Forward pass
• To obtain EST
Allprojects may be assumed to start
from day 1 unless specified
otherwise (due to weather conditions
…). Alternatively, you can assume
the start as day 0
 Example 7

1 A 6 6 B 9 9 C 19

5 3 10
 Example 8
1 A 6 C

5 2

1 B 7 D

6 8

2
 Example 8
We know that an activity
cannot start until all 1 A 6 6 C 8
the activities leading to
it have completed
5 2
Whenever there is more
that one activity
preceding a selected
activity, the Early Start 1 B 7 7 D 15
Time of the selected
activity is the latest of
the preceding Early 6 8
Finish Times

Max {7,6} 7 E 9

2
 Analysis
Backward pass
• To obtain LST
 Example 9

1 A 6 6 B 9 9 C 19

5 3 10
 Example 9

1 A 6 6 B 9 9 C 19

5 3 10 19

Once the last activity’s Late Finish Time has been set, then you
can calculate the activity’s Late Start Time by subtracting the
activity duration from the Late Finish Date, i.e. for activity C,
LST=19-10=9

As you proceed through the schedule the Late Finish Time of a

preceding activity is the earliest of the prior Late Start Times
 Example 9

1 A 6 6 B 9 9 C 19

1 5 6 6 3 9 9 10 19

6-5=1 9-3=6 19-10=9

 Example 10
1 A 6 6 C 8

2 5 7 13 2 15

1 B 7 7 D 15

1 6 7 7 8 15

7-6=1 Min {13,7} 7 E 9

13 2 15
 Start to start logic
The standard sequence where one
activity precedes another is called
Finish-to-Start

Use the Start-to-Start sequence when
the start of the following activities is
dependant upon the start of the
following activity

The Start-to-Start sequence has it’s
impact on the forward pass
calculations
 Note
 Notice that the logic sequence between
activities using the Start-to-Start
sequence may include a time
component.

 For example, we cannot start the pipe
installation at exactly the same as the
start of the trenching operation. The
first activity must get “ahead” a few
days, before the piping activity can
begin. Adding a time duration to the
sequence between activities is a major
innovation associated with the
Precedence Diagram
 Example of start-to-start
 An example use of the Start-to-Start
sequence is that of laying underground
pipe. In such a project a machine digs a
trench in which the pipe is placed. Once the
pipe is placed, then the same machine may
be used to backfill the trench. An effective
project manager may want to schedule this
project such that the pipe installation can
proceed before the whole trench has been
cut. Similarly, the backfill could begin
before the entire length of pipe has been
installed. To show how the start of one
activity can affect the start of another, use
the Start-to-Start sequence.

 Example of start-to-start
1 A 6 C

5 2
SS
2

3 B D

6 8

2
 Example of start-to-start
1 A 6 6 C 8

5 2
SS
2

3 B 9 9 D 17

6 8

9 E 11

2
 Example of start-to-start
1 A 6 6 C 8

5 15 2 17
SS
2

3 B 9 9 D 17

6 9 8 17

9 E 11

15 2 17
 Example of start-to-start
1 A 6 6 C 8

4 5 9 15 2 17
SS
2

3 B 9 9 D 17

3 6 9 9 8 17

9 E 11

15 2 17
 Example of start-to-start
1 A 6 6 C 8

4 5 9 15 2 17
SS
2

3 B 9 9 D 17

3 6 9 9 8 17

9 E 11
NOTE:
The critical path begins with the
start of Activity A 15 2 17
 Finish to finish logic
Finish-to-Finishcan be thought of as
linking the completion of two
activities such that the completion of
the prior activity takes place a few
days before the completion of the
second activity
 Example of finish to finish
Completion of the pipe installation
cannot occur until some time after
the completion of the trenching
activity.

The pipe must all be installed prior to
the completion of the backfill activity
Example of finish to finish
1 A 6 6 C 8

5 2

FF
5
1 B 7 7 D 15

6 8

FF
2
7 E 9

2
Example of finish to finish
1 A 6 6 C 8

5 2 10

FF
5
1 B 7 7 D 15

6 8 15

FF
2
7 E 9

2 13
Example of finish to finish
1 A 6 6 C 8

5 8 2 10

FF
5
1 B 7 7 D 15

6 7 8 15

FF
2
7 E 9

11 2 13
Example of finish to finish
1 A 6 6 C 8

5 7 8 2 10

FF
5
1 B 7 7 D 15

6 7 7 8 15

FF
2
7 E 9

11 2 13
Example of finish to finish
1 A 6 6 C 8

2 5 7 8 2 10

FF
5
1 B 7 7 D 15

1 6 7 7 8 15

FF
2
7 E 9

11 2 13
 Exercise 1
A B C F
START END
1 3 2 5

D E G
2 4 1

H J
1 3
 Solution 1 (forward)
0 A 1 1 B 4 4 C 6 8 F 13
START END
1 3 2 5

0 D 2 4 E 8 8 G 9
2 4 1

0 H 1 2 J 5
1 3
 Solution 1 (backward)
0 A 1 1 B 4 4 C 6 8 F 13
START END
0 1 1 1 3 4 6 2 8 8 5 13

0 D 2 4 E 8 8 G 9
2 2 4 4 4 8 12 1 13

0 H 1 2 J 5
9 1 10 10 3 13