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PROGRAM EVALUATION AND REVIEW TECHNIQUE (PERT)

(1) PERT embraces a group of management concepts, each of which can be used effectively by

itself; but when grouped together into an integrated system, they ensure the optimum use of

time and resources available to accomplish a known goal. Among these concepts are !"#

the use of a network to represent plans, !$# the prediction of time needed to complete each

phase of the pro%ect, ! the recogni'ing and measuring of uncertainty, and !(# the continual

revision of plans and operations to meet unpredictable situations and environment. )y

combining these time*tested management procedures in one overall approach, PERT

provides a means of defining, interrelating, and integrating what must be done to

accomplish pro%ect ob%ectives on time. PERT, then, is a detailed and interrelated master

plan that has sufficient built*in fle+ibility to serve as a stable guide for a comple+ pro%ectthrough its many steps to completion.

(2) PERT is specific and is based primarily upon goals. )efore beginning to use the PERT

network to plan a ma%or pro%ect in detail, the manager or work systems analyst should

organi'e his thoughts concerning the pro%ect by defining his ob%ectives and dividing his

large pro%ect into its ma%or work areas. n developing program ob%ectives, the manager-s

first %ob is to define the pro%ect. )efore using PERT to aid in the planning of a comple+

pro%ect, a person must know e+actly what he hopes to accomplish.

(3) At this point, the manager must itemi'e the various tasks that need to be accomplished to

meet the final ob%ective. These tasks should be arranged in the order that they will occur

and should be assigned to managers who will have primary responsibility for their

completion. To do this, the top manager uses a work breakdown structure in which he takes

the final, intermediate, and initial ob%ectives and converts them into work areas.

(4) After the manager has completed his work breakdown structure to determine the basic

administrative and physical task involved in the pro%ect, the actual construction of a PERT

network is not difficult. This network is a visual presentation of the flow plan of the pro%ect

ob%ectives and is based upon the antt charting techni/ue developed by 0enry antt.

(5) The following terms are uni/ue to the concept of PERT

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E1E2T An event is an identifiable point in time at which something is accomplished. n

the PERT network, an event is shown as a circle, s/uare, or other similar symbol. The

event labeled within a circle merely means that this action is completed.

A3T1T4 An activity is represented on a PERT network by an arrow and each activity

separates one event from another. An activity is a clearly defined task to which a known

/uantity of manpower and other resources is applied.

2ET56R7 The network shows the interdependencies among the tasks or activities and

illustrates the se/uence in which they are planned. 8or each step of the plan it shows the

work that must precede the other steps and activities that may be carried on simultaneously

or independently. Through the use of detail nets !which show the pro%ect plan in complete

detail#; summary nets !which depict the ma%or events and activities of the plan#, and

subnets !which portray sections of the master plan#, subordinate participants may clearly

see what parts they must carry out and how their work relates with the work of others. They

will also better understand their responsibility toward securing the goal. n this way the

manager may design the level of detail to be consistent with the level of management, and

higher levels of management can also be /uickly informed of a proposal for their

consideration or approval.

(6) 6ne /uestion that should always be asked during the construction of a PERT network is,

9:oes this network show the truththe real way the pro%ect will be accomplished9< 0ow it

should be done is a problem that should be resolved long before the actual construction of

the PERT network. n depicting the truth on the PERT network, you must accurately show

the interrelationship. To determine this interrelationship and interdependency of events and

activities is the most difficult task of the PERT analyst.

(7) PERT is but one of the operational tools developed to aid management in planning and

scheduling work. This tool, which is based upon the network theory, is a powerful but

simple techni/ue that is particularly useful in analy'ing, planning, and scheduling large

comple+ pro%ects. t also provides a means of determining which %obs or activities

comprising a pro%ect are critical in their effect on the total pro%ect time and how best to

schedule all %obs in a pro%ect to meet a target date at minimum cost.

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". 5hat is PERT !e+plain in your own words#>>>>>>>>>>>>> of a

particular pro%ect.

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