CPM (critical path method) scheduling

CPM (critical path method) scheduling is a technique that maps every project activity, its duration and its dependencies into a network, then calculates the longest chain of dependent activities — the critical path — which determines the earliest possible finish date. Activities on the critical path have zero float: any delay to them delays the whole project. Activities off the path have float, meaning they can slip by a measured amount without moving the end date. CPM is the standard scheduling method on commercial and government construction work, and the baseline CPM schedule is usually a contract deliverable that delay claims are later measured against. The value of a CPM schedule depends on its logic being sound, which is what schedule-quality checks like the DCMA 14-point assessment test.

Related term: DCMA 14-point assessment