Critical Path - International Association for Human Resources Information Management

The sequence or project network with the longest overall duration determining the shortest time possible to complete the project.

Glossary: Program (or Project) Evaluation and Review Technique [PERT]
A method of analyzing the tasks involved in completing a given project, the tie needed to complete each task and the minimum time needed to complete the total project. The graphical drawing that is created to perform the analysis is called a PERT Chart. A similar methodology, the Critical Path Method (CPM), was developed for project management in the private sector at about the same time.