Guidelines for Creating a Project Network Diagram
Follow these guidelines for creating a project network diagram:
- The project network diagram starts with a task or milestone.
- The project network diagram ends with a task or milestone.
- There are predecessors or successors for all activities--no danglers, or separate, unrelated tasks without connecting arrows.
- The network logic must be kept up-to-date. You must go back and check the relationships as the project progresses. Project changes might mean relationship changes, and the project network diagram must reflect them.
- There are no loops. Circular relationships do not allow definition of an end date. Some sophisticated software tools allow loops, but the default settings must be adjusted and the number of loops specified.
An example of a loop is as follows:
- Development sends code to Test.
- Test returns code to Development with defects marked.
- Development fixes the defects.
- Development sends code back to Test.
With the fourth step, the process starts to repeat itself.