Agile Project Management vs. Critical Path Method

The Critical Path Method (CPM) of project management is very commonly used in the management of construction projects.

D. Brown Management Profile Picture
D. Brown Management
July 15, 2018 2 minute read
Share

CPM works very well when the components of the design and the project are mostly known to all responsible parties. CPM focuses on either a single value-delivery event such as the completion of a building or in major phases such as turning over a floor at a time.  

Management Tools: Agile Project Management vs Critical Path Method (CPM).

CPM does not work as well in situations where there are significant “Known-Unknowns” about the plan CPM really breaks down when there are “Unknown-Unknowns”:

  • The final destination isn’t crystal clear; even to the leader
  • The path to get there has unknowns
  • The tools and tactics required to get there aren’t known to the team

In these situations more agile management methods are required either in conjunction with or to replace CPM:

There are similarities between all methods.  Develop the systems that work best for your company at this point in time.

Resource - Stratified Systems Theory (SST) and Timespan 101
All contractors navigate through very predictable stages of growth, delivering larger and more complex projects. Business complexity evolves requiring different capabilities at all levels. Tom Foster lays out some of these key differences very clearly.
Related Article
Profitability Trends
When you are looking at your scoreboard, remember that industry average benchmarks and single points in time only tell part of the story.
Related Article
The Teacher and the Student in All of Us
The rate a contractor can grow is the average speed the team learns and teaches at. We are all teachers and we are all students. There are many things that we can do to improve ourselves on both sides of that equation.
Related Article