Critical Chain - Eliyahu M. Goldratt [30]
"It's going to be a nice piece of work," he encourages me. "I don't see much of a problem getting it past any editor."
"Can we expect to see it published before the end of this academic year?"
"If we are lucky. But that's not the point. This article is going to be published, for sure. What you need is many more. By the way, I've talked with Johnny about modeling the financial impact of project overdues."
"And?"
"And he is not interested."
I'm quite surprised. It's not like Johnny. Since when is he declining the opportunity to develop a mathematical model? But knowing Jim's power of persuasion, there is no point trying to talk to Johnny myself. "So what are the options?" I ask, a little bit discouraged.
"You can wait until I find the time and stamina to do it. . . ." Considering the fact that it isn't Jim's idea, it means waiting forever. "Or you can do the mathematical work yourself." No way. "It's as simple as that."
"There is a third alternative," I say. "I can come up with some new ideas."
"And give up on highlighting the financial impact of overdues? I don't understand you, Richard. You make so much fuss about the futility of most articles. If it weren't for the fact that I practically forced you to write some things with me, you wouldn't be published at all. At last you came up with something that even you consider practical, something that we can turn into not one, but two articles, and now you want to give it up? Just because you have to figure out the math?"
He examines my poker face, and almost disgusted, he adds, "Besides, where are you going to find good, new ideas."
"I have. Two."
He is on a roll. "Four years of complete drought and now, all of a sudden, I have to assume that you got a flood of inspiration? Will you please wake up."
"I have ideas for two important articles," I repeat.
"You have ideas for two articles?" He mockingly uses his little finger to clean his ear. "Say it again."
I keep a straight face.
"Let's hear them." Jim is skeptical, almost angry.
"With pleasure. But first, let me tell you where these inspirations are suddenly coming from. They are not my ideas; they are ideas that pop up in the brainstorming I'm doing with my class."
"Ahhh," his expression reveals that it makes sense to him. "Those type of ideas."
"What do you mean?" I'm somewhat offended. Never mind, he signals with his hand.
"The first idea," I start to explain, "revolves around the problem of early start versus late start."
"You? You want to deal with an optimization problem? And that's what you call an important article?" He stands up, and pacing, he tries to knock some sense into my skull. "Do you know how many articles have been written about it? The best mathematical brains in the field have been toying with the minute details for years, how can you expect . . ."
I'm counting. Five questions in a row. Jim is pretty impatient today. Finally, he notices my expression and stops. "You have an idea on how to approach it from a totally different angle!" he speculates.
When I confirm it, he starts to listen. I talk; he asks some relevant questions; I answer. He asks some more.
"Let me see if I understand you, Rick. Dozens, maybe hundreds of articles deal with the question of early start of a noncritical path versus late start. Regarding all these articles, in which tremendous efforts and brain power have been invested, you claim something very simple. You claim that it's all a waste of time!"
He pauses to allow me to speak. I open my mouth to answer, but what can I say? To say, "yes" is too arrogant, but I'm not willing to give any other answer.
"You claim it," Jim speaks for me, "because you think that they have concentrated on minor considerations and neglected the major ones."
Before I have a chance to agree, he continues. "You claim that the main thing is the ability of the project manager to focus. You further claim that both early start and late start jeopardize the ability to