Critical Path - Non direct tasks such as manage schedule, etc.

[Bud]

Hello,

I set up a schedule with 4 Non direct tasks such as Business Analyst
oversight, manage project, etc. I set these up as fixed duration and I do
want them to run the length of the project which is one year. I have them
finishing slightly shorter than the end of the project but that still doesn't
make any difference.

These are masking the true critical path of the project as they have 0 total
slack and are flagged as critical.

I can set the multiple path on and than it will show several critical paths.

However, I would like to know what the true main critical path is.

How can I do this?

Thanks

 

[John]

Hello,

I set up a schedule with 4 Non direct tasks such as Business Analyst
oversight, manage project, etc. I set these up as fixed duration and I do
want them to run the length of the project which is one year. I have them
finishing slightly shorter than the end of the project but that still doesn't
make any difference.

These are masking the true critical path of the project as they have 0 total
slack and are flagged as critical.

I can set the multiple path on and than it will show several critical paths.

However, I would like to know what the true main critical path is.

How can I do this?

Thanks

Bud,
If your support task's total duration is less than the total project
duration, then their total slack will be a positive number and they will
NOT be on the critical path, unless, you have checked the option to
calculate multiple critical paths. But more importantly, you already
know these tasks are not critical, so how can they be "masking" the true
critical path?

I suggest you unckeck the option to calculate multiple critical paths,
set the duration of the support tasks to just less than the total
project duration. You will then see the "true" critical path. As an
alternate approach, create hammock tasks for the support efforts. That
will insure they span the entire project duration. Then ignore those
tasks in the critical path display. A filter could be used to block them
from view if necessary. For information on how to set up a hammock task,
go to our MVP website at, http://project.mvps.org/faqs, and take a look
at FAQ 19 - Hammock tasks.

John
Project MVP

 

[Bud]

The Total Project Duration is 273 days and the non direct tasks are 270 days,
270 days, 232 days, and 184 days. The one at 232 days and 184 had later start
dates. Anyway, Multiple critical path is UN checked and these non direct
tasks are in the critical path. It shows as YES in critical and is red when I
run Gantt Chart wizard and therefore a part of my critical path.

 

[John]

The Total Project Duration is 273 days and the non direct tasks are 270 days,
270 days, 232 days, and 184 days. The one at 232 days and 184 had later start
dates. Anyway, Multiple critical path is UN checked and these non direct
tasks are in the critical path. It shows as YES in critical and is red when I
run Gantt Chart wizard and therefore a part of my critical path.

Bud,
When you said you wanted the support tasks to "run the length of the
project", I assumed you meant they would start on the project start date
and go to the project finish date. Nothing was mentioned about a late
start on those tasks. Indeed if span of the support tasks is such that
the total slack is 0, then yes they will still be on the critical path.

Again, your choices are to set the duration of the support tasks so they
have at least 1 day of total slack, or ignore them in the critical path.
You already know they are not important to your critical path.

John
Project MVP