Foundations of Construction Management: CPM, PERT, and Scheduling

Planning and executing complex construction projects requires precise timing, resource allocation, and risk management. This text-based course introduces you to the core methodologies used to keep projects on schedule and within budget. You will transition from understanding basic project concepts to actively analyzing project networks, calculating critical paths, and optimizing schedules under tight constraints. What you'll learn: - Understand foundational construction management terms, project lifecycles, and stakeholder roles. - Master Critical Path Method (CPM) to identify key project dependencies and bottlenecks. - Apply Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) to estimate project duration under uncertainty. - Analyze network crashing techniques to safely compress project timelines and manage costs. - Explore modern scheduling workflows and digital coordination practices used in today's industry. - Practice resource leveling and allocation strategies through step-by-step written scenarios. The course begins with essential definitions and industry terminology before guiding you through network diagrams, mathematical scheduling models, and practical optimization techniques. It is designed for beginners, civil and mechanical engineering students, and aspiring construction managers with no prior scheduling experience. Start reading today to build a strong foundation in modern project scheduling and network analysis.