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6.3.1.7 organizational Process Assets

Described in Section 2.1.4. The organizational process assets that can influence the Sequence Activities process
include, but are not limited to: project files from the corporate knowledge base used for scheduling methodology,
existing formal and informal activity planning-related policies, procedures, and guidelines, such as the scheduling
methodology that are considered in developing logical relationships, and templates that can be used to expedite the
preparation of networks of project activities. Related activity attributes information in templates can also contain
additional descriptive information useful in sequencing activities.

6.3.2 Sequence Activities: tools and techniques

6.3.2.1 Precedence diagramming Method

The precedence diagramming method (PDM) is a technique used for constructing a schedule model in which
activities are represented by nodes and are graphically linked by one or more logical relationships to show the
sequence in which the activities are to be performed. Activity-on-node (AON) is one method of representing a
precedence diagram. This is the method used by most project management software packages.

PDM includes four types of dependencies or logical relationships. A predecessor activity is an activity that
logically comes before a dependent activity in a schedule. A successor activity is a dependent activity that logically
comes after another activity in a schedule. These relationships are defined below and are illustrated in Figure 6-9:
• Finish-to-start (FS). A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor
activity has finished. Example: The awards ceremony (successor) cannot start until the race (predecessor)
has finished.

• Finish-to-finish (FF). A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor
activity has finished. Example: Writing a document (predecessor) is required to finish before editing the
document (successor) can finish.

• Start-to-start (SS). A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor
activity has started. Example: Level concrete (successor) cannot begin until pour foundation (predecessor)
begins.

• Start-to-finish (SF). A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor
activity has started. Example: The first security guard shift (successor) cannot finish until the second
security guard shift (predecessor) starts.

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