What is a forward pass and a backward pass?
sobes.tech AI
Answer from AI
Forward pass and backward pass are scheduling planning and analysis methods in project management.
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Forward pass — calculating the earliest possible start and finish dates for tasks, beginning from the start of the project. It helps determine the minimum project duration.
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Backward pass — calculating the latest possible start and finish dates for tasks, starting from the project's end date or deadline. It helps identify how much time can be delayed for a task without shifting the overall schedule.
These two passes help identify the critical path — the sequence of tasks that determines the minimum project duration — and determine slack time for tasks.
Example:
- Forward pass: Task A starts on day 0, lasts 3 days, so it finishes on day 3.
- Backward pass: if the project must end on day 10, and Task A is the last, then its latest start is day 7 (10 - 3).
Thus, it is possible to understand whether a task has slack time or is critical.