Modelling and scheduling projects using Petri nets

This paper addresses the modelling suitability of Petri Nets (PNs) for project planning and control. PNs, while being vastly used for the modelling and analysis of discrete event systems, were scarcely mentioned in the context of project management. This paper familiarises the readers with PNs and illuminates its modelling advantages. Next, the PN suitability for modelling and scheduling a project is discussed. Finally, a new PN type, called the Petri Project Net (PPN), is proposed and it best addresses the special features required by project scheduling problems, including the practical implications for scheduling and resource planning in an uncertain environment.