Critical Path: free game to learn project scheduling

What is Critical Path?

A project plan with tasks, lengths and dependencies. First spot the critical path, the chain of tasks with no slack that sets the launch date. Then tasks start slipping: decide whether the launch moves, and by how much, and where one extra person actually pulls the date in.

Critical Path is a free game about project scheduling. Each project is a handful of tasks with lengths and dependencies, and one launch date.

Spot the chain of tasks with no slack, then react to slips: some move the launch, some are absorbed by slack. Last question: where does one extra person actually help? The schedule is computed from the plan, so every answer is exact.

At a glance

Category

Skillz

Difficulty

Hard

Play time

4–6 min

Price

Free, in your browser, sign-up optional

How to play

Spot the critical path

Tap the tasks with no slack: +40 each, −30 for a task that has slack.

React to slips

A task slips. Does the launch move, and by how much? 100 per right call.

Add a person

One extra person cuts 2 days off one task. Pick the one that helps most (100).

Three levels

Beginner shows the timing bars and slack. Expert adds a near-critical second path and 20 seconds per decision. Each level keeps its own best score.

Scoring

Each critical task you tap scores 40, each task with slack costs 30. Each right slip or help call scores 100.

One or two projects depending on the level, with 30 seconds per decision (20 in Expert). Your best score is kept in this browser.

What it trains

Dependencies

Which task waits for which.

Critical path

The chain that sets the launch date.

Re-planning

Reacting to slips and placing extra help.

Strategy and tips

Follow the longest chain

The critical path is the longest route from start to launch.

Slack absorbs slips

A delay shorter than a task's slack doesn't move the launch.

Help where it counts

Speeding up a task with slack changes nothing.

Watch the second path

Shorten the critical path too much and another chain takes over.

Why play Critical Path?

Every project has a few tasks that set its deadline. Knowing which ones tells you where to watch, where to add help and which delays you can calmly ignore.

Frequently asked questions