Which is an advantage of a Critical Path Method (CPM) schedule?

The advantage of a Critical Path Method (CPM) schedule lies in its ability to identify activities that are critical to the project's completion timeline, specifically those that must be finished before subsequent activities can commence. This is crucial for project management, as it highlights the dependencies among tasks and helps project managers understand which activities cannot be delayed without impacting the overall project deadline. By knowing these critical dependencies, project managers can prioritize resources and efforts on those tasks, ensuring that they stay on track to meet project milestones.

The identification of critical tasks allows for more effective scheduling and resource allocation, as well as providing a clear visualization of the project's workflow. This helps in assessing risks, managing delays, and adjusting schedules as necessary while keeping the project's timeline intact. Understanding which activities are linked in this way is fundamental for strategic planning and ensuring that the project progresses smoothly.

The other options, while relevant to project management, do not capture the primary benefit of the CPM method as effectively as identifying task dependencies does. For example, ease of interpretation and showing all activities are helpful but not as focused on the project's critical dependencies. Identifying cash flow needs is an important aspect of project finance but not specifically a function of the CPM schedule.