“PERT(Program Evaluation and Review Technique )”

A PERT chart is a project management tool used to schedule, organize, and coordinate tasks within a project. PERT stands for Program Evaluation Review Technique, a methodology developed by the U.S. Navy in the 1950s to manage the Polaris submarine missile program. A similar methodology, the Critical Path Method (CPM) was developed for project management in the private sector at about the same time

In the diagram, for example, the tasks between nodes 1, 2, 4, 8, and 10 must be completed in sequence. These are called dependent or serial tasks. The tasks between nodes 1 and 2, and nodes 1 and 3 are not dependent on the completion of one to start the other and can be undertaken simultaneously. These tasks are called parallel or concurrent tasks. Tasks that must be completed in sequence but that don't require resources or completion time are considered to have event dependency. These are represented by dotted lines with arrows and are called dummy activities. For example, the dashed arrow linking nodes 6 and 9 indicates that the system files must be converted before the user test can take place, but that the resources and time required to prepare for the user test (writing the user manual and user training) are on another path. Numbers on the opposite sides of the vectors indicate the time allotted for the task.

STEPS IN USING PERT

1. Plan in advance the a action to be taken to produce
a desired result.
2. Predict/calculate the probable performance time required
for the activities.
3. Improve the plan, when we find that predicted
performance is not good enough.
4. Measure performance against the plan, after the plan
is set in motion.
5. Control progress by using information, and replan the
action as required.
6. Repeat the last two steps until the project is complete.

ADVANTAGES OF PERT

1. The net work process force definition of programme tasks and integration of planning.
2. The network highlights the relationships between activities and shows their significance to programme accomplishment.
3. Through the critical path approach, management attention is directed to those activities which are important from the stand point of timely completion of the programme.
4. Through PERT, schedule status information is integrated and effect on the overall programme is shown.
5. By analyzing slack areas, tradeoffs in resources (taking resources from one activity to another) it becomes possible as a means of improving schedules of costs.