What a pert network is
A PERT network maps tasks and their dependencies, then computes earliest and latest start and finish times for each. The critical path falls out of the arithmetic: the chain with zero slack, where any delay moves the end date.
When to use one
- Establishing which specific tasks actually control the delivery date
- Deciding where to add people, so the effort lands on the path that matters
- Justifying to a sponsor why compressing a non-critical task saves nothing
The data format
One task per line: TaskID, Duration, Dependencies (pipe-separated). ES/EF/LS/LF are computed for you.
Paste rows like this — copy the example straight into the builder to see it render:
A, 3 B, 4, A C, 2, A D, 5, B|C E, 2, C F, 3, D|E
How to make one
- Paste your data into the Studio, or upload a CSV or XLSX file.
- Set your colours — by hand, from pasted brand hex codes, or extracted from your logo.
- Generate and export as PNG or SVG for your deck or report.
One thing people get wrong. Get the dependencies right before worrying about the durations. A wrong dependency produces a confidently wrong critical path, which is worse than no analysis at all.
Why it runs in your browser
Charts are parsed and drawn entirely on your own device. No rows, files or logos are uploaded, so a pert network built from confidential project or process data never touches a server. You can verify it: open your browser's network tab while you generate one.