In CPM scheduling, every task has a relationship with every other task. Understanding this interconnectedness is crucial for efficient project management. One effective way to identify a task’s relationship with another is by using the “Start/Finish” label. There are four primary variations of this relationship, and they go as follows:
Finish to Start—In this scenario, the next task cannot begin until the first task is completed. For example, if the tasks are “buy turkey & other ingredients” and “make a turkey dinner,” you cannot start making the dinner until you’ve purchased the ingredients. This relationship helps establish clear dependencies between tasks in CPM scheduling.
Finish to Finish—Here, you cannot finish the next task until the first task is also done. For instance, you cannot completely stock a retail shelf until you have all of the products. However, you can begin stocking with the products you already possess. This coordination ensures that you maintain workflow across tasks when using CPM scheduling.
Start to Start—In this case, to begin the next task, you must have already started the previous task. Referring to the previous example of stocking, you cannot start to stock the shelf until you have some products to place on it. Thus, you must transport some products before the stocking starts when following CPM scheduling principles.
Start to Finish—In this relationship, you cannot finish the next task until the previous task begins. For example, consider a chef who is making a meal and taste-testing it. The chef must begin preparing the meal before he can test its taste. Importantly, the meal does not need to be finished before testing its flavor. This relationship is part of effective CPM scheduling.
CPM Scheduling Management
In addition to understanding these relationships, establishing a baseline schedule is essential in project management. A baseline schedule serves as a reference point against which to measure progress. Furthermore, updating the project schedule monthly allows teams to track ongoing progress. Regular updates help identify potential delays and adjust resources as needed. With this approach, managers can proactively address challenges and ensure project completion on time and within budget. Effective CPM scheduling, along with well-developed baseline schedules and consistent updates, forms the foundation of successful construction project management.
