9 Ways to Check Critical Tasks (Critical Paths) in MS Project

One of the participants in a class for MS Project 2010/2013 was having trouble in viewing Critical Tasks in his customized view of the Project Management Plan and few weeks after the session, asked me ways to check them. Now, critical tasks are important from scheduling perspective and a seasoned project manager frequently checks on them. 

MS Project gives a number of options to check on critical tasks. In fact, there are so many options that it wont be possible to outline them all in this post! It is immaterial which view you are in or which table you have applied - you can easily check your critical tasks.

The easiest and quickest way is outlined below in # 1. 

Way # 1: Option Under Format Tab

Let us take a simple example. I have 5 tasks and 2 milestones with duration as shown below. To see the critical tasks, go to Format Tab -- Bar Styles group. Under that, select the checkbox for "Critical Tasks". The critical tasks will be highlighted in red in the Gantt view.

Critical Tasks - Enabling Option from Format Tab

Above - Task 3 and Task 5 are Critical Tasks, whereas Task 1, Task 2 and Task 4 are Non-Critical Tasks.

Still, you might be in different views or different tables, but still you can check on the Critical Tasks. However, as noted earlier, you have enough options to check on critical tasks wherever you are in MS Project. In rest of the ways, we will reuse the above simple example. 

Way # 2: Switch to Tracking Gantt View

Another important view which you will use frequently is the Tracking Gantt View. Here, the critical tasks are also shown and are highlighted in red. You need not select any checkbox, rather it will be done by MS Project for you. To switch to Tracking View: use View tab -- Task Views group -- Other View -- More Views and select Tracking Gantt View from the opened up dialog box.

Critical Tasks in Tracking Gantt View

Tip: The checkbox noted earlier in Way # 1 is automatically selected when you switch to the Tracking Gantt View!

Way #3: Use Filter for Critical Tasks

Go to View tab -- Data group. Under that, select Filter: Critical from the drop down menu as shown. Critical Filter is one of the built filters in MS Project.  After selection, only the critical tasks will be shown, irrespective of your view. In the below image, critical tasks are filtered and shown for the Gantt Chart View. The non-critical tasks will be filtered out. 

Critical Tasks - Applying Critical Filter

As you can see, the Critical Tasks - Task 3 and Task 5 - are only shown in the filtered view.

Tip: To disable Filter, select Filter:[No Filter]

Way # 4: Highlight Critical Tasks

Critical Tasks in the complete plan can be highlighted in a different color. To do that, go to View tab -- Data group -- Highlight: Critical, which is to be selected from the drop down menu. 

Highlighting Critical Tasks

As you can see, the critical tasks are highlighted in yellow. 

Tip: To disable highlighting, select Highlight:[No Highlight]

Way # 5: Group Critical Tasks

There is not only a built-in filter for Critical Task, but a built Critical Task group. To group the critical tasks, go to View tab -- Data group -- Group by: Critical. 

Grouping Critical Tasks

Both the critical and non-critical tasks are grouped and shown to you with Critical:Yes and Critical:No headings. 

Tip: To disable grouping, select Group:[No Group]

Way # 6: Switch to Detail Gantt Chart

Detail Gantt View is another view which you will use to check on the delayed introduced due to leveling and used when you perform resource leveling. Here critical tasks are shown by default and are highlighted in red. To switch to Detail Gantt View, use View tab -- Task Views group -- Other View -- More Views and select Detail Gantt View from the opened up dialog box.

Critical Tasks in Detail Gantt View

Way # 7: Switch to Network Diagram View

Network Diagram View is another important view used by professional users of MS Project. This gives a clean and easy way to check on the activities/tasks in a Nework Diagram. Here critical tasks are shown by default and are highlighted in red. To switch to Network Diagram View, use View tab -- Task Views group -- Network Diagram View. 

Critical Tasks in Network Diagram View

Nework Diagram view used the Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) as noted in PMBOK and shows task details along with dependencies. 

Way # 8: Add Critical Field to the Table

Critical Tasks can be seen in various task tables - it does not matter which table you are in - by adding a new column/field called "Critical", which is built into MS Project. 

To do that, simply right click on the table side of the view and select "Insert Column" and then type in "Critical" to be have the field added as one of the columns in your table. The critical and non-critical tasks will be populated with "Yes" and "No" values, respectively. 

Column "Critical" in the Entry Table showing Critical Tasks

Way # 9:  Use Critical Task Report

MS Project 2013 has a new Tab introduced - Report tab. Here, you can generate a report for Critical Tasks. Go to Report tab -- View Reports group -- In Progress and select "Critical Tasks" Report from the drop down menu. 

In Built Critical Task Report

Here, the status of the Critical Task - Complete, In Progress, Future etc. - all will be shown. As our simple project has a planned start date on Nov 17, 2014, all critical tasks are shown as Future Tasks. If you are in MS Project 2010, go to Project tab -- Reports group -- Overview -- Critical Tasks.

Still, there are few more ways to check on critical tasks. Like you can create your own custom filter or custom group and apply different color code or switch to yet another view called "Descriptive Network Diagram View" to check on critical tasks. However, I hope the above 9 ways would suffice to check on critical tasks in your project and will meet your need.

Update (February 2, 2018):

To know the various ways to check Critical Tasks, a video has been made available for you!
This is from MS Project 2016 Live Lessons - Guaranteed Learning or Your Money Back.

The video is from Lesson 9: Analyzing Project.

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Change Request Flow (PMP) - PMBOK 5th Edition

[NEW: Program Change Request Management (PgMP) and Flow (Link)] 

[Change Request Flow (PMP) - PMBOK 6th Edition (Link)] 

 

In every session with PMP® Aspirants, I give emphasis on the Flow of Change Requests. PMBOK® 5th edition does not explicitly inform on Change Requests (or simply CRs) flow in various Knowledge Areas in the 5 Process Groups - in a combined way. However, in each of the 47 process area the flow for various inputs and outputs, including change requests, are shown. Nevertheless, if I take all the control and executing process areas in which CRs are acting as Inputs and/or Outputs (part of ITTO - Inputs, Tools and Techniques, Outputs), it will complicate the understanding. 

It is best to simplify the approach to have an easy and quick understanding on PMBOK’s approach to CR Flow. In the below diagram, the key processes from "Integration Management" knowledge area are shown along with one process from "Quality Management" knowledge area. CRs coming from other control and executing processes from rest of the 8 knowledge areas are simply shown as inputs to "Perform Integrated Change Control" (PICC) process of "Integration Management" knowledge area.

Overall Change Request Flow

As shown above, various control process areas such as "Control Scope", "Validate Scope", "Control Schedule", "Control Costs", "Control Communications", "Control Procurements" - all will have Change Requests as their outputs. All of these are fed to PICC process of Integration Management, from where the "Approved Change Requests" will be coming as output.

Process, Knowledge Area and Process Group Participating in CR Flow

The cross process group, cross knowledge knowledge area flow diagram for change request is as shown below, using Microsoft Visio. Individual processes are shown in their respective knowledge areas and process groups. The various forms on change requests are shown as inputs or outputs and are color coded.

Having shown the diagrams and table representing processes in the respective 10 knowledge areas and 5 process groups, there are 10 key points to note. 

10 Key Points to Understand Change Request Flow:

1. Change Requests can be of these types – “Preventive Action”, “Corrective Action”, “Defect Repair”, and “Updates”.
2. No Change Requests are created in any process/process area (out of 47) under “Initiating Process Group”, “Planning Process Group” or “Closing Process Group” (barring an exception). 
3. All Control Processes (all of them), e.g., Control Scope, Control Schedule, Control Costs, Control Risks, will generate “Change Requests”. Most of the Executing processes will also have change requests as outputs. 
4. All these “Change Requests” will be fed to “Perform Integrated Change Control” process to have “Approved Change Requests” as outputs.
5. Changed Requests are approved by the “Change Control Board” (or Customer Control Board), operating under "Perform Integrated Change Control" process of Integration Management.
6. All “Approved Change Requests” have to be executed so that they are part of the Product/Service/Result and hence fed to “Direct and Manage Project Work” process in Integration Management in Executing Process Group.
7. During Execution, further Changes and/or new Change Requests are likely and hence it also will result in Change Requests, which will be again fed into “Perform Integrated Change Control” and follow Step – 4 and 5.
8. All “Approved Change Requests” are also fed to “Control Quality” process in Quality Management as “Approved Change Requests” are not only to be executed, but also have to be Quality Tested. 
9. “Approved Change Requests” coming out of Control Quality process are known as “Validated Changes”. 
10. All “Validated Changes” are fed into “Monitor and Control Project Work” process so that the changes that are validated are monitored for some time before finally accepted. During Monitor and Control, new CRs are likely too! Hence, they will be again fed into PICC.

There are few other processes where Change Requests/Approved Change Requests are part of ITTO. However,from PMP exam perspective, you need to understand the above simple points to be able to answer many questions. 

Update (9th Nov, 2014): Title changed to "Change Request Flow" in place of "Life Cycle" as Life Cycle gives a different meaning. 

PMP LIVE LESSONS - Guaranteed Pass:

• PMP LIVE LESSONS: Guaranteed Pass or Your Money Back

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ProjectLibre Review - An Open Source Replacement of MS Project?

Project Libre is being positioned as an open source replacement of MS Project, as the website says. As it has a number of downloads - over a million and a good amount reviews, it stoked my curiosity. Here, the review of ProjectLibre tool will be in comparison with MS Project 2013. 

I downloaded the latest version 1.5.9 and worked in Windows-7 environment with Java 7 running in the background. Installation was smooth and it started up without any issues. Uninstallation is to be done from the Control Panel: Control Panel – Programs - Programs and Features.

On launch, you get the “Tip of the Day … Did you know” thing. Next you get “Create Project” or “Open Project option” and when selected former, the screen is as shown below. I liked the way, it asks the creator to fill in the initial information of Project Name, Manager, Start Date and Forward scheduling as noted here. 

Creating a New Project in ProjectLibre

The tabs shown are – "File", "Task", "Resource" and "View". When compared with MS Project, the “Project” tab has been merged with “File” and there are no “Format” or “Report" tab as in MS Project 2013.

File Tab and Its Groups/Commands

Task Tab Its Groups/Commands

Resource Tab Its Groups/Commands

View Tab Its Groups/Commands

What is Working:

• Project Creation,  Project information details fill up
• Save, Save As, Undo, Redo, Open, Close 
• Task Creation, Deletion, Indentation, Outdentation, Linking, Unlinking
• Resource addition, assignment
• Forward scheduling. Backward scheduling is with a Check box enablement/disablement, which is decent, but not very user friendly. 
• Calendar – Standard, Working, Non-working time (briefly checked)
• Baseline – Save Baseline and Clear Baseline
• Basic reporting – checked on a few reports
• Integration with Microsoft Project (couple of times it threw error though) and Integration with Oracle Primavera 

What I Liked:

An impressive amount of functionality has been made in this free software. A number of features are available and it is a good start. Graphical Reporting is not this software's strong suite, but some of the reports are new - graphical views of Resource Breakdown Structure and Work Breakdown Structure.

What is Missing:

• Manual scheduling of tasks
• Resource Overloading indication is not there.
• No way to know which baseline is saved on which day. While clearing the baselines While you have multiple baselines, it becomes a problem.
• Export to Image for the Project Plan (PDF can be replacement)
• Currency option cannot be set
• Variance tracking – Variance values for time and cost (alternative is to check via reports)

Issues Noticed:

• Importing a MPP file (have an option to import): Got an Out of Memory Error

• When I linked a Task to a Summary, it correctly threw an error message and in the console threw an exception. 

• When linking with a FS dependency with a lead of 2 days, gave a space FS + “space” – 2, it threw an error in the window (does not take any space) and in the console an InvocationTargetException.
• Memory Tuning - I had created two projects and by that time, the runtime memory was shooting up to 100 MB whereas the MS Project was in the range of 40MB. 
• Responsiveness is slow when the number of tasks increases
• Not all window commands are enabled - Like Ctrl + F4 does not work. I would love to have that as I use key shortcuts frequently. 

This can be a good tool:

• For small projects with relatively less number of tasks and resources
• Projects where visual reporting is not of high importance
• If you are familiar with MS Project, it will help as the look and feel is quite like the MS Project
• You do not need customization functionality for your Baseline, Tasks, Indicators, Milestone etc.
• You do not need resource pooling and/or multi-project management

Of course, the appeal is there because it is free. It needs few Java exception management, in its code, to make you feel that the software is very healthy.