In the Critical Path Method, what specific sequence of activities determines the shortest possible project duration?

In the Critical Path Method (CPM), the specific sequence of activities that determines the shortest possible project duration is called the critical path. The critical path is defined as the longest sequence of dependent activities in a project schedule network diagram, measured by time, from the project's start to its finish. An activity refers to a specific task or piece of work within the project that has an estimated duration, consumes resources, and has a clear start and end point. Dependencies are logical relationships between activities, dictating the order in which they must be performed; for example, one activity cannot begin until another is completed. The sum of the durations of all activities along this critical path establishes the earliest possible time the entire project can be completed, thus representing the shortest possible project duration. A key characteristic of activities on the critical path is that they have zero total float (also known as slack). Total float is the amount of time an activity can be delayed from its early start without delaying the project’s overall completion date. Because critical activities have zero float, any delay in the start or completion of a critical activity will directly result in an equivalent delay to the entire project's completion date. The critical path is identified by performing a network analysis that involves calculating the early start, early finish, late start, and late finish times for all activities in the project schedule. The sequence of activities where the early start time equals the late start time, and the early finish time equals the late finish time (indicating zero float), constitutes the critical path.