Theory of Constraints Handbook - James Cox Iii [785]
7Sheila not only made the 2000 and 2004 Olympic teams in the triathlon, but also she switched sports and competed in the pentathlon in Beijing in the 2008 Olympics. She is the only woman ever to compete in four Olympics in three different sports. To read more of her amazing story, go to: http://www.sheilat. com/keynote.htm
Table of Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Gantt Charts
PERT/CPM in the Single Project Environment
Origins of PERT and CPM
Project Failures
Single Project Management Literature
Multiple Project Management Literature
Macro Issues
Micro Issues
Critical Chain in the Single Project Environment
Why These Widespread Project-Related Problems Persist
Task Duration Uncertainty
Traditional Survivor Behaviors
Issues in Creating a Project Plan
Issues in Managing Project Execution
Modifying Task Duration Estimates
A Bit of Statistics
Critical Chain Scheduling—Steps 1 through 4
Merging Paths—Step 5
Communications—Step 6
Three Sources of Critical Chain Project Protection
Establishing Project Priorities
Selecting a Scheduling Resource and Establishing Scheduling Buffers
Tracking Buffer Consumption
Knowing When to Act
Adjusting Buffers
Using Buffer Consumption Information to Continuously Improve
Components of a Project Budget
Assigning Total Project Costs to Project Tasks
Implementing a New Project Budgeting Process
Internal Reporting
External Reporting
Managerial Actions to Support Critical Chain Project Management
Importance of Trust
Implementing a Critical Chain Project Management System
Rule 1 Pipelining: Limit the Number of Projects in Execution at One Time
Rule 2 Buffering: Discard Local Schedules and Measurements, and Use Aggregate Buffers
Rule 3 Buffer Management: Use Buffers to Measure Execution, and Drive Execution Priorities and Managerial Interventions
Challenge 1: Gaining Managerial Commitment for Implementing the Three Rules
Challenge 2: Translating Concepts into Practical Procedures and Instructions
Challenge 3: Sustaining the Critical Chain Rules and Results
Step 1: Achieve Management Buy-In
Step 2: Reduce WIP and Implement “Full Kitting”
Step 3: Build Buffered Project Plans
Step 4: Establish Task Management
Step 5: Implement Surrounding Processes
Step 6: Identify Opportunities for Continuous Improvement (POOGI)
Step 7: (When Applicable) Use Superior Delivery as a Competitive Advantage to Win More Business
Performance Gains Come from Managing Differently, Not Better Planning and Visibility
Implement All of the Three Rules
Top Managers Must Play an Active Role
Actively Manage the Buffers
Can Critical Chain be implemented without basic project management in place first?
Should a pilot be run before a full rollout of Critical Chain?
What about cultural and behavioral changes?
What is the role of software in Critical Chain?
Is a Project Management Office (PMO) needed with Critical Chain?
How is non-project work handled with Critical Chain?
Should the scope of a Critical Chain implementation include vendors and subcontractors?
How does Critical Chain improve quality?
Critical Chain seems to be all about timelines; what about controlling costs?
Do we need project-level budgets in multi-project operations?
Does Critical Chain work with Earned Value Reporting?
How does Critical Chain work with Lean?
What are the likely causes of failure in implementing Critical Chain?
No Urgency to Change
The Silver Bullet
Negative Branches
Root Causes
Basic Principles
Simple Example: Cleaning the Room
Simple Example: TOC Practitioners Group
Other Processes
Planning with the Cycle of Results
Traps
Project Environment System of Systems
Translating Lean into the Project System of Systems for Improvement
Addressing the Disconnects in Lean Techniques for Project Environments
Specifying Value
Identify Steps in the Value