Critical path
Project Management Professional glossary · Project Management Professional
Definition
The sequence of activities that represents the longest path through a project, determining the shortest possible duration.
Critical path in plain English
Guessing a drive will take "about an hour" is different from using last month's identical drive, or best/likely/worst traffic, or the longest chain of errands you can't skip. Critical path is one of those estimating lenses — pick the wrong lens and your schedule lie becomes a surprise. Hold onto this precise job description: The sequence of activities that represents the longest path through a project, determining the shortest possible duration. On a stem, name whether Critical path is about timing, ownership, measurement, or delivery style — then eliminate the answer that borrows a cousin concept from the wrong phase.
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