Path Convergence
A situation where one scheduled activity relies on multiple predecessor activities before it can proceed.
Key Points
- Represents multiple incoming dependencies to a single activity in a network diagram.
- The successor cannot start (or finish) until all required predecessors meet their defined relationships.
- Raises schedule risk because any predecessor delay can push the successor and critical path.
- Manage by monitoring all feeder paths, validating logic (FS/SS with lags), and adding buffers where needed.
Example
User Acceptance Testing can start only after System Testing is complete, Data Migration is finished, and the Test Environment is signed off. These three predecessors converge into the UAT activity.
PMP Example Question
In a precedence diagram, Activity F can begin only after Activities B, C, and D are completed. What does this situation illustrate?
- Path divergence
- Path convergence
- Start-to-Start with lead
- Resource leveling
Correct Answer: B — Multiple predecessors feeding into one activity
Explanation: More than one predecessor leading into a single successor is path convergence; the other options describe different concepts.
