1. Critical Chain Project Management

2. Three Challenges Choosing the right projects
Getting each one completed more quickly
Getting more projects done without adding resources
Critical Chain focuses on the latter two goals

3. Negative Effects of Trying to Do Too Much
Multitasking
Cutting task estimates
Managing people very closely

4. Critical Chain Solution
Identify the system’s constraint
Decide how to exploit the constraint
Subordinate everything else to the above decision
Elevate the system’s constraint
If, in a previous step, the constraint was broken, go to step 1

5. Critical Chain: Definition
Longest chain of dependent events where the dependency is either task or resource related.
Not necessarily equivalent to project duration.

6. Practices Don’t measure on accuracy of estimates
Don’t measure on meeting deadlines
“Relay Runner” work ethic
Allowing new projects to start only when a “strategic resource” is available
Need to protect projects from task time variations by using buffers
(22A)

7. Practices, continued Reduce multitasking
Use multi-project software and make sure the executive, project managers, and resource managers understand it
Implementation of buffer management as a key process for identifying problems during execution

8. Task Estimate Example
Task times are not deterministic, they’re estimates
Various uncertainty factors
First task, modifying parts, is relatively easy.
Last task, testing finished product, is highly variable
Difficulties are found late in the work.

9. Example, continued “Student Syndrome” Skewed curve Inflated estimates
Higher probability of finishing near the estimated duration.

10. Protection Focus on whether project, not tasks, finish on time.
Deming: Common cause variation: sick time, machines breaking, etc. Take no action.
Special cause: Things which should be addressed

11. Control Steps
Start with best schedule, cut estimates in half, then add half of this back in as buffers.
Resource-level the project.
Don’t measure on completing on time or accuracy of estimates.
Allow people to work on a Critical Chain task in a dedicated manner.

12. Control Steps, continued
Change organization’s resource management approach so people can accept work earlier than expected.
Implement a project buffer (30 to 50% of the critical chain)
Implement feeding buffers.

13. Buffer Management Examine buffer reports frequently
These show how far into a buffer a task has taken.
Look at trends of buffer consumption

14. Managing Execution
Set priorities based on which task is most penetrating the project buffer
Keep data updated frequently, perhaps daily
Negative effects of multitasking
Strategic resource buffer
“Drum” resource is the one most likely to impact the cycle time of all projects