Network planning (or project networking) is a generic name for methods that study projects as a set of interconnected activities with the purpose of assisting in planning, managing and controlling projects. These methods are based on models describing projects as activities networks and include well known techniques such as the Critical Path Method (CPM) and the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT). CPM determines the critical path which includes the so-called critical activities (activities deserving maximal attention as any delay causes a delay of the project's completion date), while PERT estimates the probability distribution of the project's completion date. These methods require the determination of each of the activities that are involved in the project, the sequence in which these activities must be performed, and the activities that can be performed concurrently with other activities.
Network planning can study different problems such as project scheduling, risk...
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Rand, G.K., Tavares, L.V. (2001). Network planning . In: Gass, S.I., Harris, C.M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Operations Research and Management Science. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-0611-X_665
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