The critical path analysis helps to calculate free float. This enables project managers to assign resources on time and create an accurate schedule. Putting these tasks together, and estimating the dependencies and time taken by each, gives you the total duration of the project.įor many projects, determining the critical path is an essential part of project planning. The tasks on this path should be deemed as critical, meaning that if they are delayed, the entire project deadline will also be delayed.

In a nutshell, this is the longest sequential path of tasks that must be completed to conclude a project from beginning to end. Free Float and Critical Path AnalysisĮxperienced project managers often make use of the critical path method of project scheduling. When estimated and made use of correctly, it can make projects sail smoothly to their destination.

While total float is the amount of time a task can be delayed without impacting the completion time of the project as a whole.įree float, or free slack, is an important resource that project managers should consider before scheduling projects.

Free float refers to the amount of time that a task can be delayed without having an impact on the deadline of the next task. There’s a difference between free float and total float. In other words, free float is the amount of time that an activity can be delayed by, without causing undue delay to the activities that follow. According to project management guru Max Wideman’s definition, free float is: “The maximum amount by which an activity can be delayed beyond its early dates without delaying any successor activity beyond its early dates.” Keep in mind that free float is also sometimes referred to as free slack. This is where the concept of free float comes in. For successful projects, individual tasks and overall deliverables have to be completed according to an agreed deadline. Time is one resource that every project manager has to always keep an eye on. What Is Free Slack or Free Float in Project Management?

Slack project management