CHAPTER 7 Scheduling Activities THE CRITICAL PATH IS THE PATH through the network diagram (see Chapter 5) that takes the longest total time. It therefore deter- mines the earliest possible time the project can be completed. The critical path is a network analysis technique used to deter- mine the amount of scheduling flexibility (or total float) on each of the various network paths in the project schedule and to determine the overall project duration. Activities on the crit- ical path are not inherently more important than other activi- ties in the project, but they are more critical to the overall project schedule, because any delay in them will delay the completion of the entire project unless other adjustments are