ABSTRACT

The critical path is one of the fundamental concepts in traditional project management. In fact, the inception of the Critical Path Method (CPM) is sometimes considered to be a symbolic milestone; a starting point for the establishment of project management as a formal discipline. Traditionally, project management focused on time, cost and the quality of the project outcome. Understanding that certain tasks in the project work breakdown structure were more important than other tasks for delivering the project within a given timeframe, and being able to make calculations and identify those tasks, was a breakthrough. Identifying this critical path of tasks became an important management tool and symbolises the origin of project management as a subdiscipline of operation research.