A network plan in project management is a graphical representation of a project that visualizes the dependencies between various tasks and activities. It is commonly used to plan, analyze, and communicate the timeline of a project. A network plan consists of nodes (also known as events or milestones) and arrows (also known as activities or tasks) that represent the sequence and dependencies of tasks in the project.
There are two main types of network plans:
Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) or Node Diagram
In a PDM, tasks are represented as nodes, while dependencies between tasks are indicated by arrows. The arrows indicate which task depends on another. Each node represents an activity or task, and the arrows show the logical relationships between tasks, such as start-to-start, start-to-finish, finish-to-start, and finish-to-finish.
Activity-on-Node (AON) or Activity Diagram
In an AON network plan, tasks are depicted as arrows, representing the dependencies between tasks. Nodes in an AON network plan represent the start and end points of tasks. Each task has an estimated duration specified on the arrows.
Creating a network plan assists in various project management tasks:
Scheduling: A network plan allows project managers to plan the timeline of a project and determine how long each task will take and how it affects other tasks.
Identification of Critical Paths: The critical path is the sequence of tasks that takes the longest time to complete the project. Identifying the critical path helps prioritize tasks and ensure the project is completed on time.
Resource Planning: Analyzing the network plan helps project managers determine the resources (staff, materials, budget) needed for each task and how these resources should be allocated.
Communication: Network plans are useful tools for communicating within the project team and to stakeholders. They provide a visual representation of how the project is organized and how tasks are interconnected.
Risk Management: Network plans can be used to identify potential bottlenecks or delays in the project early on and plan mitigation measures.
