Critical Path Schedule
The critical path is the sequence of activities that has zero (or the least) float — meaning any delay to one of these activities delays your project finish date directly. A Critical Path Schedule isolates and highlights this chain so everyone on the project knows exactly which activities cannot afford to slip.
Why it matters
Most schedule disputes and EOT claims come down to one question: was the delayed activity actually on the critical path? If it wasn’t, it likely didn’t delay the project finish date, and a claim built around it will struggle. This holds true whether the dispute is on a mining contract, an offshore campaign, a utilities upgrade, or a commercial build. Understanding and correctly maintaining your critical path — including recalculating it properly after every schedule update, not just eyeballing float values — is one of the highest-value things a scheduler does on a live project.
What's included in our deliverable
- Critical path analysis via forward and backward pass CPM calculation in P6 or MS Project
- Near-critical path identification (activities with low but non-zero float that could become critical)
- Clear visual highlighting suitable for site meetings and client reporting
- Ongoing critical path tracking through schedule updates, with commentary on how and why the critical path has shifted, if it has
When to use it
From baseline through to completion — the critical path should be actively monitored at every schedule update, not just calculated once and forgotten.