How to Use Activity Network in Decomposing Project Tasks?

Activity network can be used in task decomposition to chart the flow of simple activities or sub-tasks between separate tasks within a project. It helps plan project tasks by creating a graphical representation of smaller pieces of work. The benefit of using activity network is that it simplifies planning through graphically displaying interdependent relationships between tasks and their sub-tasks as they all impact a related project.

Activity network diagram lets create a model of broader tasks in a project and develop a graphical design of project task breakdown. Here are how-to steps for using activity network diagram in decomposing project tasks:

• Identify root tasks that have broad objectives related to a project
• Divide each of these tasks into a series of implementation actions
• Divide broad objectives into smaller goals
• Create relationships between actions and smaller goals
• Estimate time frames required for doing actions and achieving goals
• Use a sheet of paper or a computer program to create a drafted scheme of activity network diagram
• Place root tasks and their  objectives at the top level of the diagram
• Add lists of actions and their goals beneath root tasks
• Draw special signs (lines and arrows) in the diagram to show dependencies between elements of the breakdown
• Add a timeline to the breakdown to depict time frames on the diagram
• Review the diagram and check for errors
• Accept the diagram as necessary corrections are made.

CentriQS Task Decomposition Solution CentriQS lets users decompose large tasks into smaller sub-tasks for creating work breakdown structures. Task decomposition in CentriQS is a very simple process. Users can either add tasks as subtasks to the parent task or simply "drag'n'drop" them into parent task. When task becomes parent for other tasks its state and duration chages automatically depending on its subtasks.