The development of the graphical path method (GPM®) created new paradigms for schedulers and planners. These new models allowed planners more flexibility around designing and optimizing networks of activities, especially when compared to the models used in critical path method (CPM) projects. In addition, GPM also helped planners to solve previously intractable resource optimization problems.
When it was first launched in 1957, CPM was the premier tool for schedule optimization. But as the planning and scheduling process evolved over time and adapted to new technologies such as personal computers, the focus of the CPM process shifted from planning to scheduling. Advances in technology have allowed schedules to grow exponentially to contain more than 50,000 activities. These massive schedules are inputted directly into a CPM software tool – all too often without the first critical step of planning the project. While some organizations continue to use full-wall planning, GPM was developed in part to reintroduce planning back into the scheduling process.
Flexible Planning
GPM also introduced users to a more flexible way to schedule. When planning with CPM, schedulers are often handicapped by its total float calculations, which do not allow for flexibility and adjustments between project start and finish dates. Instead of calculating total float as the late date minus the early date, GPM uses the planned date to calculate float, drift (how many days back can we move without impacting start date) and total float (drift plus float). The GPM algorithm frees the planner from the false framework of early start dates. Which creates a flexible dynamic modeling tool which more accurately reflects the real world realities of planning and scheduling.
This way, schedulers are able to more easily allocate and adjust resources and shift activities or activity chains as needed throughout the schedule.
GPM’s use of the logical diagramming method (LDM), which combines the best of ADM and PDM, creates a graphically represented network. This allows schedulers to set benchmark or fixed events with zero total float along a schedule. LDM relies on embedded nodes to model PDM logic, and recognizes fixed events or benchmarks, which do not shift from their inputted dates.
The combination of GPM’s planning elements brings flexibility to schedulers and stakeholders, and, simply put, makes the process easier to understand. This is turn helps people to create and execute a successful plan.
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Drift & Resource Leveling
Using drift to determine total floats for activities allows project managers to find creative ways to balance and level the resources of a project. GPM’s incorporation of drift allows compensation for errors in CPM’s total float calculations in cases where constraint dates are imposed on the schedule, instead of the planned dates.
Accurate calculations of drift, float and total float are crucial as schedulers try to optimize resource utilization and leveling. With increasingly more complicated schedules, having accurate information at your fingertips is critical for schedulers as they try to plan projects, resources and costs realistically.
Planner Advantages
Having access to the most accurate and up-to-date information through the use of GPM and GPM software like NetPoint® gives planners new-found flexibility and confidence during the planning process. Planners are better able to design a schedule that reflects the best possible choices for activity placement in terms of the distribution of resources and time and cost tradeoffs.
Additionally, the real-time calculation provided by GPM allows for inputs and adjustments to be reflected immediately in activities and activity chain adjustments across the schedule. GPM planning gives the scheduler complete control of a mathematically and algorithmically grounded graphical representation of their network model – and in real time.