Network Diagram in Project Management : Examples and Template

What Is Network Diagram In Project Management?

Network diagrams in project management help managers evaluate the impact of early or late starting or completion, track resource management, and execute “what if” assessments. Managers can use this data to track progress and assess options.

The management constantly attracts them left to right when reading a book because of the sequential schedules of the network diagram. It is commonly used in project planning because of its efficiency in assisting a development team to achieve its objective, delivering infrastructure completion periods, and defining a project's critical path.

Officials accept two types of project network diagrams. The first format, node activity, exhibits an action as a box, also called a node. Arrows indicate the order of events. The second pattern, arrowhead activity, shows node-connection events. Diagrammers usually use node activity above arrow activity format when choosing between the two.

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Also Read: Project activities

Types of Project Network Diagram

There are numerous other forms of network diagrams, but only two are relevant to project management: 

1. The Arrow Diagram Method (ADM) 

2. The Precedence Diagram Method (PDM)

1. Arrow Diagram Method (ADM) 

The ADM includes arrows to describe various activities on the tin. The beauty of this choice is its simplicity. A box ('i-node') that marks the starting place of the task is the arrow's tail. The arrowhead indicates the direction of some other box ('j-node'), which symbolizes the ending or completion point. The arrow's length indicates how much time the activity takes.

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Thus, a long arrow indicates a lengthy task, whereas a small arrow indicates a straightforward task.

The relationships between nodes must always be 'start-to-finish (SF) however, dummy actions' often demonstrate interdependence. Typically, these are employed in a 'finish-to-start (FS) scenario.

2. Precedence Diagram Method (PDM) 

The PDM method is essentially an updated version of the ADM. There are still boxes and arrows. However, they indicate four potential relations, including the arrows signifying a limited start-to-finish relationship.

Finish-2-start (FS) relationships are the most prevalent form. It arises when one task cannot begin until the previous one is completed.

Start-2-finish (SF) relationships are the term that refers to a situation in which one activity cannot begin until the previous one has begun.

Start-2-start (SS) relationships are circumstances in which the second task cannot begin until the first task has been completed. Both actions can begin concurrently, but they do not have to.

Finish-2-finish (FF) relationships describe a situation in which the successful completion of one activity depends upon the successful completion of some other activity. The second task may be completed simultaneously with the first or at any point after the first is completed.

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Why Project Network Diagram?

Network diagrams are advantageous in a variety of ways during project implementation.

1. Network Diagram Project Management Templates are frequently used to illustrate the project's performance analysis. Because the network diagram demonstrates how processes interact from start to finish, predicting the overall system timeframe would be highly advantageous. When the critical path is determined, the activities on the workflow will show us the length of the entire project.

2. Project Network Diagram examples: assist in planning, organizing, and controlling. Since all project operations are visualized systematically with their associated interconnections, a program's network diagram can assist management and workforce with planning and organization. During the implementation process, a graphical representation can also be beneficial since it provides a snapshot of the project's activities dependent on one another.

3. The network diagram project management depicts the program's operations. As a result, a team leader should become familiar with the activity sequence. After some time in the project, it will be easier to see what has been done and the remaining activities and interrelationships.

4. Network diagrams illustrate the many methods for compressing schedules. During the design process, you may find that you need to reduce the frequency of the remaining tasks. The reason for this could be that the process is running behind the deadline, and you'll have to reduce the timeline to finish the job on time. In that scenario, because project network diagram examples represent the series of activities and their timeframes, it will be easy to think about reducing the remaining project tasks.

5. Network diagrams demonstrate the performance of the company. Because it illustrates the sequence of operations and the overall direction of the task, it is an excellent tool for tracking the work progress.

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Project Network Diagram Examples

The objective of this analysis is too simplified series of processes that must be scheduled and represented in a network diagram of a project plan.

This example relates to IT development and execution. However, the process of creating and using a project network diagram is universally applicable to all types of tasks, regardless of their specific topic.

Interactions between Activities and Logical Relations 

The project is divided into several phases.

• Designing,
• Developing,
• Implementing,
• Analyzing, and
• Delivering the program

The five activities are linked conceptually by the terms FF, FS, SS, and SF.

Also Read: Project Metrics

Developing the Network Diagram for the Project Plan 

• The initial step is to determine the logical linkages between these activities. The arrows in this figure illustrate these relationship types. It is typical to write the interdependence form next to the arrows for better understanding.
• In the finish-to-start interdependence, the preceding activity must be completed before the successors can begin. In the diagram, an arrow connects the predecessors’ and successors’ activities. This has been performed, for example, for the technical development and testing of module A.
• The lag time for the action 'testing of module A' (four days) is shown with a positive value, as it increases the duration of that line of activities.
• The lead of the activity titled "integration testing" is represented by a negative number, indicating that it is in the other direction.

Also Read: Lead vs Lag

Elements of Network Diagram Project Management Template

Activity: It is a type of operation that is typically represented by the arrow symbol on a graph. It can be classified into four categories: predecessor, successor, concurrent, and dummy.

Event: A circle (also known as a node) represents an event, which signifies the conclusion of one or more actions and the commencement of new operations. These are the Merge event, Burst event, and Merge and Burst event.

Sequencing: The term "sequencing" refers to the significance of interconnections between devices or operations. The following questions can assist you in determining

• Which work is planning to follow or proceed?
• Which jobs can work at the same time?
• What regulates the beginning and the end?

Bus topology: At times, you may wish to demonstrate how multiple subnets are interconnected to a central shared database (or bus). These usually always include the IP addresses of the network elements and the connections they utilize.

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Conclusion

Years of practical experience do assist in developing critical project management skills. However, the PMP course streamlines this process and enables learners to build these skills in a short period. The skills necessary for PMP certification online are relevant across organizations and projects.