Project Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) for Scheduling and Estimating the Completion Time of a Mushroom Production Project

Abstract

The use of modern scientific methods and software has become an urgent necessity for planning, scheduling, and executing projects within optimal timeframes, utilizing available resources efficiently, and minimizing costs. Among these methods, the Project Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) stands out as a widely adopted and effective tool in many developed countries for its accuracy and efficiency in project planning and scheduling. However, field visits to the Planning and Follow-up Department at the Ministry of Agriculture revealed continued reliance on personal experience and traditional methods in managing projects, such as the Mushroom Production Unit project. Since the activity durations in this project are probabilistic, traditional approaches have contributed to delays in scheduling and implementation. This research aims to apply the PERT technique, which is well-suited for managing projects with uncertain activity times, to improve scheduling accuracy and reduce both effort and cost. By employing the WinQSB2 software for analysis, the study generated tables, reports, and graphical representations that clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of PERT. The results confirmed the method’s ability to estimate project completion time, identify critical activities, and calculate the probability of completing the project within any given timeframe specified by the decision-maker.