In project management, the Critical Path Method (CPM) is best described by which statement?

Introduction / Context:
CPM (Critical Path Method) is a deterministic network-planning technique widely used in civil engineering projects to plan, schedule, and control activities. It focuses on activities, their durations, and logical dependencies to determine the critical path and total project duration.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We must select the statement that best characterizes CPM.
• Options touch upon conceptual synthesis, activity orientation, time estimates, and repetitive works.
• Only one option should be accepted as the best fit.

Concept / Approach:
CPM is fundamentally an activity-oriented technique using single (deterministic) time estimates for each activity. Although time estimates are indeed used, the most distinguishing, textbook characterization is that CPM is an activity-oriented network method (contrasted with product/work-package orientation or probabilistic approaches like PERT).

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note that CPM networks are constructed with activities as arcs and events as nodes (in classic AOA) or activities as nodes (AON).Step 2: Recognize that durations are assumed known (deterministic), enabling float and critical path calculations.Step 3: Evaluate the options: activity orientation is the hallmark.Step 4: Select the option explicitly stating activity-orientation.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard construction management texts define CPM as an activity-oriented, deterministic scheduling method used for planning and control.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• synthesising in concepts: Vague and not a standard descriptor of CPM.
• is based on time estimate: True but generic; not as defining as activity orientation.
• is used for repetitive works: Repetitive work is better modeled by line-of-balance; CPM is general-purpose.
• all the above.: Since one option is weak and another is only partially descriptive, this is not correct.

Common Pitfalls:
Choosing overly broad statements or confusing CPM with PERT or line-of-balance methods.

Final Answer:
is built of activities oriented programme