Network Based Planning: Finding a New Way to Solve Problems

There is no such thing as a solitary project/goal today — not in this interconnected universe we live in. Whether it is managing a complex construction project, coordinating a supply chain, or mapping out an IT infrastructure, everything appears to be interlinked in one form or another. Network based Planning helps us think differently and do things differently, it helps us with things by acknowledging the relationship of different components of a system. As to what network-based planning really is, and why it has come to be so important in this dynamic world, its meaning will begin With Network Based Planning. At its heart, the network-based planning is a strategic approach that organizes, schedules, and manages tasks according to their interdependencies. Unlike the traditional linear planning approaches that take each task independently to one another, network-based planning has a very visual map or network where every single task has a sign known as a node connected to others through lines, or edges. These edges show flow through dependency so that a planner could understand which task is supposed to precede others and which could be done concurrently. The Critical Path Method (CPM) and Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) are probably the most famous examples of network based planning. All these are being widely used in project management, as each task is part of a larger puzzle, the successful completion of which depends, with utmost importance, on the understanding of these interconnections. Why is Network Based Planning So Important? The world today is spellbound by increasing complexities and rapid changes, wherein network-based planning holds significant advantages 1. Clear Vision Towards Dependencies A task, most of the time, has a dependency on several other tasks for its successful completion. This is where network based planning represents these dependencies in graphic view, not letting any such dependency