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Convergence and Divergence Bottlenecks

In project scheduling, bottlenecks can significantly impact timelines and resource allocation. SmartPM identifies two primary types of bottlenecks: Convergent and Divergent.

Convergent Bottlenecks

Convergent bottlenecks occur when a single task has numerous dependent predecessor activities, creating a critical point where delays can accumulate.

Characteristics:

When a task has many predecessors, it becomes a critical convergence point in the schedule. This increases the risk of delays or compression, since a setback in any preceding task can cause significant downstream impacts on the overall project timeline.

SmartPM Configuration:

  • Default Threshold: 5 predecessors.
  • Adjustable: This threshold can be customized in the quality profile settings to align with project-specific needs.

Best Practices:

  • Monitor Predecessor Completion Rates: Regularly track the progress of tasks leading to the convergent point.
  • Implement Risk Mitigation Strategies: Consider adding buffers or parallel processing to tasks identified as convergent bottlenecks.
  • Adjust Thresholds as Needed: Reevaluate and modify the threshold in SmartPM to ensure it aligns with the project's scale and complexity.

 

Divergent Bottlenecks

Divergent Bottlenecks arise when a single activity leads to numerous dependent successor tasks, creating a point where delays can propagate downstream.

Characteristics:

High Successor Count / Critical Divergence Point: A task with many successors can propagate delays to multiple downstream activities, increasing the risk of widespread schedule disruption.

SmartPM Configuration:

  • Default Threshold: 5 successors.
  • Adjustable: This threshold can be customized in the quality profile settings to align with project-specific needs.

Best Practices:

  • Monitor Successor Dependencies: Regularly track the progress of the task that unlocks the numerous successors  
  • Implement Risk Mitigation Strategies: Consider adding buffers or parallel processing to tasks identified as divergent bottlenecks.
  • Adjust Thresholds as Needed: Reevaluate and modify the threshold in SmartPM to ensure it aligns with the project's scale and complexity.