What is Float? And, What is Slack? in Project Management

In this video, I will answer the question, what is float? Or, if you prefer, what is Slack? (not the software)

Float as schedule flexibility
It is the amount of time a project activity can slip before it has an adverse effect on another scheduled activity

Float = slack

Some people reserve float to mean how long you can over-run a task without implications. They use slack to refer to how long you can delay the start of a task without implications.

Free float
The amount of time that a scheduled activity can be delayed without affecting the start of successor activities - aka task float or activity float

FF = ES(b) - EF(a)

Total float
The amount of time that a scheduled activity can be delayed without affecting the end of the project - aka project float.

TF = LF - EF or LS - ES

Project float can also refer to the amount of time a project can be delayed without affecting the end-user or client

Negative float
If your project will be delayed, this is the time between when you can finish a task and when you need it finished to assure completion on schedule.

Critical Path
Longest path through a network. Will have the least float - possibly zero
All activities on the critical path should have zero float - UNLESS you schedule in float as a deliberate risk mitigation measure


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⏱ Chapter Markers...
00:00 - What is Float? …or Slack?
00:15 - Definition of Float
00:39 - Float
00:52 - Slack
01:04 - Float vs Slack?
01:18 - Free Float
01:51 - Total Float
02:23 - Project Float
02:45 - Negative Float
03:03 - Float and the Critical Path Method (CPM)
03:38 - Why do we care about Float?
05:36 - Summing-up Float (or Slack)

#Project #ProjectManagement #Float