Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT) is a project management planning tool is often used by project managers to estimate how much time a specific task within a project will take, and to calculate the amount of time realistically to finish the project. .

PERT charts are used to plan tasks within a project — making it easier to schedule and coordinate team members.

There are three time estimates. They’re optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic. An optimistic estimate identifies the quickest time in which a certain task can be completed. Most likely helps to identify the time between maximum and minimum. Pessimistic is all about estimating the maximum time that each task will take before it can be complete.