PROJECT FLOAT:
Float in the project schedule also referred as "slack". A Float is the value by which the duration of the activity can be extended without doing harm to the following.
- Start date of Succeeding critical activity.
- Project target date.
Project Float usually comes to a non-critical activities and non-constraint activities after scheduling the project. Generally float means "Flexibility". Float creates the flexibility inside the project schedule. If the project having "zero project float", then the project is very risky project. In other words, project dates are not flexible. If the activities having "zero float", it's called as Critical activities. Project Float will be calculated with the help of Critical Path Method.
Project Float falls into two categories by default.
- Total Float
- Free Float
Total Float:
The maximum number of days we can extent a non-critical activities without causing delay to the project end date.
Free Float:
The maximum number of days we can extend a non-critical activities without causing delay to the start date of immediate succeeding critical activities.
UTILIZATION OF FLOAT IN PROJECTS:
- If the critical activity got delayed while executing the schedule, we can mobilize the similar resources working in parallel non-critical activity to delayed critical activity by pausing the activity within the float value to speed-up the progress of critical activity.
- Sometimes the negative float may pop-up while scheduling due to the poor relationships or not matching the client target date. To overcome the negative floats, resources from positive float activities can be utilized.
- When complex situations arises in the project execution, where we want to reduce the project duration significantly, locate the zero float activities and then convert those float into positive float by reducing duration of those activities.
Today, most advanced tools like Primavera P6 helps to schedule the project without any hassle and the tools will calculate the float values for all activities automatically. Learn critical path methodology in Primavera Training in Chennai or Microsoft Project Training in Chennai along with the other project management concepts.
