What does "crashing" a project refer to?

"Crashing" a project specifically refers to the strategy of adding more resources to a project in an effort to shorten its duration. This technique is often employed when a project is running behind schedule or when there is a need to deliver the project sooner than originally planned. By increasing the resources—such as manpower, equipment, or funding—team members can work more effectively or complete tasks simultaneously, which can lead to a faster overall project completion time.

For instance, if a construction project is behind schedule, a manager might choose to hire additional workers to speed up the building process, allowing different phases of the construction to be carried out concurrently rather than sequentially. This method is a common practice in project management, as it directly targets the critical path of the project, thereby reducing the overall timeline without a fundamental change in project objectives or scope.