PERT Chart for Beginners: Link Tasks with Arrows and Find the Critical Path First

Project & Development

PERT Chart for Beginners: Link Tasks with Arrows and Find the Critical Path First

Beginner PERT chart template for project leads: link tasks with circles and arrows in a planning meeting and find, by hand, the critical path that delays everything if it slips. The whiteboard has 4 A4 pages: page 1 holds the goal, deadline, and a table of about 10 tasks; page 2 adds branches to a sample path and sums the days per path; page 3 finds the longest path and each task's slack and picks what to do first; page 4 sets owners, dates, and a swap plan for delays. The task board has five columns, from drafting to done, with 4 parent tasks for the 4 pages and 3 subtasks each. To build a PERT chart, give each task its predecessors and duration, link them with arrows, add the days along each path, and look for the longest. Slack is the longest total minus the longest path through that task. Original PERT estimates three ways (optimistic, likely, pessimistic); this board starts with one duration. Limited-access team members can write on it together.

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PERT chart critical path project planning scheduling for beginners
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① Goal, deadline, members (start here) ② Task table (predecessors and days; ... ③ How we count days (decide together) ④ Sample of one path (line up linked ... ⑤ Space to draw branches (tasks runni... ⑥ Days added up per path (the table d... ⑦ Worked example (read only) ⑨ Comparing first moves (for each cri... ⑩ First moves (decided) ⑪ New totals (re-add ⑥) ⑫ Moves set aside and why ⑬ Owners and dates for critical path ... ⑮ Next day to review the chart PERT Chart Beginn... How to use: ① Wri... Goals and decisions Agreements and ow... Costly delays and... Samples and insights 1/4 List the tasks Ctrl+F / ⌘F : 2/4... → 2/4 2/4 Link tasks in order ↙ 3/4 Goal (what you will finish)e.g. Publish the shop's new guide page Deadline (by when)e.g. Publish on November 2815 working days left until then Memberse.g. 1 leader and 4 membersOwner: ____ Task Predecessor Days Task Predecessor Days Tasks A, B e.g. A Decide the content None (start) 2 days e.g. B Take photos A 3 days Tasks C, D C Write the text A 4 days D Design the layout A 3 days Tasks E, F E Choose photos B 1 day F Check the text C 2 days Tasks G, H G Build the page D, E, F 4 days H Test the display G 2 days Tasks I, J I Write the notice C 1 day J Publish H, I 1 day Do days off count?e.g. Weekends and holidays do not count."Days" means working days How to estimate daysOriginal PERT estimates days three ways: optimistic, likely, pessimistic.This board starts by comparing paths with one duration (days if all goes normally)e.g. When unsure, write the longer number A Decide content (2 days)Starte.g. Decide what to show and the headings C Write text (4 days)Predecessor is Ae.g. Draft the guide text F Check text (2 days)Predecessor is Ce.g. The manager reads it G Build page (4 days)Predecessors are D, E, F (all must finish)e.g. Place headings, text, and photos H Test display (2 days)Predecessor is Ge.g. View on phone and computer J Publish (1 day)Goal (predecessors are H and I)e.g. Post it on the shop's site How to drawWrite tasks missing from ④ on sticky notes and connect them from earlier tasks with connector arrows.A task where paths merge gets 2 or more arrows in e.g. A branch after AA → B Take photos (3 days) → E Choose photos (1 day) → merges into G e.g. Another branchA → D Design the layout (3 days) → merges into G e.g. A branch merging before the goalC → I Write the notice (1 day) → merges into J Order of tasks Adding the days Total Path A e.g. A→B→E→G→H→J 2+3+1+4+2+1 13 days Path B e.g. A→C→F→G→H→J 2+4+2+4+2+1 15 days Path C e.g. A→D→G→H→J 2+3+4+2+1 12 days Path D e.g. A→C→I→J 2+4+1+1 8 days How to addFollow the arrows from start to goal and add the days of every task you pass.e.g. Path B is 2+4+2+4+2+1 = 15 days Where paths mergeG starts only after the predecessors D, E, and F all finish.You wait for the slowest path, so the longest path sets the goal day 3/4 Find the long path → 4/4 4/4 Act before delays ⑧ Critical path a... Critical path (longest path) e.g. Path B A→C→F→G→H→J, total 15 days If a task on this path slips 1 day, the goal slips 1 day Turn this path's sticky notes red in the chart in ④ Slack of other tasks (days they can slip) e.g. B and E have 2 days of slack (15 days minus Path A's 13) e.g. D has 3 days of slack (15 days minus Path C's 12) e.g. I has 7 days of slack (15 days minus Path D's 8) Worry Candidate move Days saved C Write the text e.g. Only one person writes Add people: split the writing between 2 4 days → 3 days F Check the text The reviewer is busy Cut scope: check fewer pages 2 days → 1 day G Build the page Cannot start until the text is ready Swap the order: build the frame first 4 days → 3 days H Test the display It may break on phones No move for now, just watch Stays 2 days e.g. C gets a second writer (4 days → 3 days) e.g. G builds the frame first (4 days → 3 days) Assign owners and dates to the chosen moves on page 4 e.g. Path B 15 days → 13 days e.g. Path A also passes G, so 13 days → 12 days After shortening, check that no other path becomes the longest e.g. Cutting F's scope set aside (it affects a promise to customers) e.g. H is watch-only this time Keep set-aside moves as swap candidates for delays (used in ⑭) Owner Start day End day Warning sign C Write the text e.g. Members 1 and 2 Day 3 Day 5 Half not written by day 4 F Check the text e.g. Leader Day 6 Day 7 Half not read by day 6 G Build the page e.g. Member 3 Day 8 Day 10 Frame not ready by day 9 H Test the display e.g. Member 4 Day 11 Day 12 Layout breaks in 3 or more places ⑭ Swap steps when... Notice and tell e.g. When a warning sign in ⑬ appears, tell the leader the same day Check the slack e.g. See in ⑧ whether a task with slack can lend people (after ⑩, D has 2 days of slack) Swap e.g. Use a move set aside in ⑫, or swap the order of tasks Re-add and tell e.g. Re-add the totals in ⑥ and tell the team the new end days Review daye.g. The first 10 minutes of the Monday weekly meeting Trigger for an early reviewe.g. Tasks were added, or the days slipped by 2 or more What to write after reviewinge.g. The new totals and the name of the critical path → 2/4 Link tasks in order ↙ 3/4 Find the long path → 4/4 Act before delays
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Task board contents

Drafting tasks 16 items

List the tasks
Link tasks in order
Find the long path
Act before delays
Goal and deadline
Split into ~10 tasks
Agree on day counts
Adapt the sample
Draw the branches
Sum days per path
Mark critical path
Work out slack days
Pick first moves
Owners and dates
Plan the swap steps
Set a review date

Drawing the chart 0 items

Checking paths 0 items

Owners assigned 0 items

Done 0 items

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