What does the PERT planning process primarily include?

The PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) planning process primarily focuses on identifying specific activities involved in a project, as well as their proper sequence and the time required to complete each activity. This method is particularly useful in project management for visualizing the project timeline and understanding dependencies between tasks. By highlighting the sequence of activities, PERT helps project managers to determine the critical path, which is essential for completing the project efficiently and on schedule.

While the other options include important aspects of project planning, they do not capture the core function of PERT. Market analysis and design validation, user feedback, and risk assessment, while relevant to broader project management practices, are not the primary focus of the PERT technique itself. Instead, PERT's strength lies in its ability to organize tasks and visualize their interconnections, thereby providing a structured approach to managing project timelines and resource allocation.