Creately Blog

This post came to fruition thanks to one of our customers, who made a request for AoN templates a few days back. So we’ve come up with three cool new templates for our users (shown as examples below), which can be found under Business Graphics in Creately.com. With over half a million project managers across 185 countries, (who also probably use diagramming software to make their lives easier), we thought it would make sense to offer some interesting insights into one of the more challenging aspects of project management – AoA and AoN network diagrams.

The Different Between AoA and AoN

Both activity on arrow (AoA) and activity on node (AoN) come under the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT), which is a well-known method that is used to analyze various tasks when it comes to completing a project, especially when it comes to the time that is required to complete each task and the minimum amount of time that is required to complete the entire project.

Traditionally, activity sequence diagrams utilize boxes or even rectangles in order to show the activities, which are known as nodes. These nodes are made to connect with other nodes by the use of arrows; this would indicate the dependencies that are present between the connected activities.

A project network usually shows the association that is present between tasks within a project. Illustrating these activities by using nodes or even using arrows between the event nodes, are the main ways you can draw those relationships.

When it comes to AoA diagrams, showing the finish-to-start relationships is a limited affair. What this means is that the arrow represents the time span from the event at the start of the arrow to the event at the end. Activities that are represented as arrows have to be added to illustrate some of the more complicated relationships and dependencies that are present between the activities. You can start editing the diagram below by just clicking on it.

However, when it comes to AoN diagrams, the activity is placed on the node. The interconnection arrows would illustrate the dependencies that are there between the activities. They’re more flexible and are capable of illustrating the main relationship types. Since the activity is on a node, the data usually can be placed on the activity. Click on the AoN template below to start editing it.

Also, since the activities are placed on the nodes in an AON diagram, the arrows can go in any direction, hence representing a wide range of dependencies (start to finish, start to start, finish to start, finish to finish).

AoN Diagram Template (click on the image to use it as a template)

So what should I use?

While there are some fundamental differences between AoA and AoN network diagrams, choosing one over the other is based on individual project requirements. Some of the basic differences would be as follows.

1. A significant drawback of AoA networks is having several different possible networks describing the same project. In contrast, the Activities on Nodes (AoN) representation is unique.

2. Having both AoA and AoN networks of a project is an advantage since some planning and optimization techniques strictly require AoA format while others require AoN format.

3. AoN diagrams are generally easier to create that AoA diagrams.

4. When it comes to inexperienced users, AoN diagrams is easier to understand than AoA diagrams.

5. If there are changes, it would be easier to do them on AoN diagrams than AoA diagrams.

6. AoN networks focus on tasks while AoA focuses on events.

With Creately being set up for launch within a matter of days, we’re more than excited with the positive response we received from all you awesome users! The launch of Creately Desktop may be the natural way to go for an app that’s still growing, yet it is also about offering something that people are wowed by. Because diagramming is the foundation on which our house is built, we thought of highlighting 10 great feature-rich reasons why diagramming is easy as peas with Creately.

1. Diagrams Anywhere

This is the “Man! This really is a big deal” moment of Creately Desktop. Basically when you create a flowchart, mindmap, UML, wireframe, mockup or any other diagram, just click the Diagrams Anywhere feature and you can have all your diagrams sync’ed into both the online and desktop platforms.

2. Moderate accessibility levels with Edit & View

While you can share diagrams with viewers, you can give permission to editors to make changes on diagrams as well. Moreover, you can now choose your editors or delete them and invite collaborators via e-mail (or you can save yourself the trouble by simply clicking on the dialog box that allows you to share with the entire team). You can also enable view and/or edit links (depending on who you want to edit and/or view your diagrams), which opens up your diagrams in a super-versatile Diagram Viewer (if you want to view) or the Creately Editor (if you want to edit).

3. Publish your Diagrams

What’s the point in sharing your diagrams if you cannot publish them? Not only do you get to publish an always-updated diagram to any web page, you can easily push it through Twitter, Facebook and more recently, LinkedIn as well.

4. Accountability via Notification

Once you save your diagrams, you can keep all the members of your team notified with regard to the changes you have made. Everyone knows who changed what, and what the next action should be with a simple notification.

5. 1000s of images @ just a click

If you can’t find what you need in Creately’s shape libraries you can also search for images from Google and IconFinder.com. So there’s no excuse to share diagrams that are unrealistic and empty. With 1000s of images accessible with just a click, sharing your ideas just got more colourful and real.

6. The zoom-able and sharable Diagram Viewer…

…is the icing on the cake. The Creately Diagram Viewer is a simple embeddable widget that allows you to include an always updated Creately diagram in any web page. Once added just save your webpage and your Creately diagram is available immediately.The widget always fetches the latest version of your diagram to display making sure that visitors always see the latest version. When working as a team on the same diagram or diagrams in a project all the changes made using Creately will be reflected immediately in your documentation ensuring that the Creately diagram and the published webpage stays synchronized.

7. Easy-to-use Interface

With Creately Desktop, work is not only easy but it’s easy on the eyes as well. With its one-touch click facility and user-friendly tools, working is a real pleasure. Why? Simply because, everything is where it should be – logically placed.

8. Getting your ideas across is easy when Diagrams are Beautiful

With over 100s of user friendly templates, you can create mockups, UMLs and mindmaps (amongst a zillion other diagrams) that are beautiful and easy to work with. What this means is that collaborating on them is an easy and enjoyable experience too. Not convinced? Ever tried collaborating on something like this? We rest our case.

9. The Drag and Drop convenience

Diagramming is all about saving time, doing away with inconveniences and making the process seamless as possible. This is why the Drag and Drop convenience is one of those small things that make a big difference. No need to press Ctrl+O to bring in a new image. Even if you have a cdml file on your desktop, you can click and drag it onto your Creately Desktop and it will convert into an image. Just Drag and Drop, virtually anything.

10. Access diagrams, even when Offline

With Creately Desktop, you can enjoy working on your diagrams even when you are offline. So, in other words, the diagrams that you worked on while being online will be updated onto your Desktop. So once you do go offline, you can still work on them. Once you are online, the diagrams you worked on will get synchronized.