Critical chain project management / Lawrence P. Leach.

ISBN:

9781580531900

Title:

Author:

Leach, Lawrence P.

Personal Author:

Leach, Lawrence P.

Publication Information:

Boston : Artech House, 2000.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xvii, 330 pages).

Series:

Artech House professional development library

Contents:

Begin at the beginning -- Project success -- Defining the problem -- How good is the current project system? -- The project management business -- Cause of the problem -- Right solution -- Right execution -- Success with critical chain -- The synthesis of TQM, TOC, and PMBOK -- PMBOK -- Project integration management -- Project scope management -- Project time management -- Project risk management -- Other PMBOK areas -- TQM -- Appreciation for a system -- Understanding variation and uncertainty -- Psychology -- Theory of knowledge -- TOC -- The throughput world -- The production solution -- Five focusing steps -- The thinking process -- Resistance to change -- The direction of the solution -- Deciding what to change -- Defining the project management system -- Project failure as the undesired effect -- Toward a core dilemma -- Longer and longer project duration -- Projects frequently overrun schedule -- Multitasking -- Core conflict leading to UDEs -- Toward desired effects -- Resolving the core conflict -- The resource constraint -- Solution feasibility (evidence) -- Determining what to change to -- The complete single-project solution -- From system requirements to system design -- Requirements matrix -- Summary of single-project critical chain -- Developing the critical chain solution -- Identifying the project constraint -- Exploiting the constraint -- Subordinating merging paths -- Task performance -- Early start versus late finish -- Exploiting the plan using buffer management.

Local Note:

eBooks on EBSCOhost

Subject Term:

Project management.

Format:

Electronic Resources

Electronic Access:

Click here to view

Publication Date:

2000

Publication Information:

Boston : Artech House, 2000.

Available:*

Shelf Number	Material Type	Copy	Shelf Location	Status
658.404 21	1:E-BOOK	1	1:ONLINE	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

The Artech House bestseller, Critical Chain Project Management, now builds on its success in a second edition packed with fresh, field-tested insights on how to plan, lead, and complete projects in "half the time, all the time." It provides you with expanded coverage on critical chain planning, multiple project selection and management, critical change project networks, OPM3, new Agile and Lean techniques related to critical chain project management (CCPM), and effective strategies for bringing about the organizational change required to succeed with this breakthrough method.This cutting-edge work gives you full understanding of the CCPM techniques, tools, and theory you need to develop critical chain solutions and apply them to all types of projects. You get clear instructions on how to build single-project critical chain plans and how to stagger projects in a multiple-project environment. You also learn buffer management techniques for avoiding the pitfalls of committing too much or too little to any specific project, and for meeting project time and cost commitments every time. Moreover, the book integrates key features of PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) with critical chain to help you master key project management skills not covered in other critical chain books, such as scope control and risk management.This easy-to-follow guide offers you the power to shorten project delivery time, eliminate cost and scheduling over-runs, manage project resources more efficiently, reduce stress on your project team, and finish projects that meet or exceed expectations. Over 100 illustrations help clarify this innovative method that has produced well-documented results in a growing variety of project environments.

Author Notes

Lawrence Leach received his M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Connecticut and his M.B.A. from the University of Idaho.

Leach is President of Quality Systems.

050

Preface	p. xv
1 Begin at the beginning	p. 1
1.1 Project success	p. 3
1.2 Defining the problem	p. 4
1.2.1 How good is the current project system?	p. 5
1.2.2 The project management business	p. 11
1.2.3 Cause of the problem	p. 12
1.2.4 Right solution	p. 16
1.2.5 Right execution	p. 22
1.3 Success with critical chain	p. 23
1.4 Summary	p. 26
References	p. 27
2 The synthesis of TQM, TOC, and PMBOK	p. 29
2.1 PMBOK	p. 31
2.1.1 Project integration management	p. 32
2.1.2 Project scope management	p. 32
2.1.3 Project time management	p. 33
2.1.4 Project risk management	p. 34
2.1.5 Other PMBOK areas	p. 34
2.2 TQM	p. 34
2.2.1 Appreciation for a system	p. 37
2.2.2 Understanding variation and uncertainty	p. 43
2.2.3 Psychology	p. 46
2.2.4 Theory of knowledge	p. 50
2.3 TOC	p. 52
2.3.1 The throughput world	p. 56
2.3.2 The production solution	p. 58
2.3.3 Five focusing steps	p. 63
2.3.4 The thinking process	p. 67
2.3.5 Resistance to change	p. 70
2.4 Summary	p. 71
References	p. 73
3 The direction of the solution	p. 75
3.1 Deciding what to change	p. 75
3.1.1 Defining the project management system	p. 76
3.1.2 Project failure as the undesired effect	p. 76
3.2 Toward a core dilemma	p. 78
3.2.1 Longer and longer project duration	p. 78
3.2.2 Projects frequently overrun schedule	p. 81
3.2.3 Multitasking	p. 85
3.2.4 Core conflict leading to UDEs	p. 87
3.3 Toward desired effects	p. 90
3.3.1 Resolving the core conflict	p. 90
3.3.2 The resource constraint	p. 92
3.4 Solution feasibility (evidence)	p. 95
3.5 Determining what to change to	p. 97
3.6 Summary	p. 98
References	p. 99
4 The complete single-project solution	p. 101
4.1 From system requirements to system design	p. 101
4.1.1 Requirements matrix	p. 101
4.1.2 Summary of single-project critical chain	p. 104
4.2 Developing the critical chain solution	p. 106
4.2.1 Identifying the project constraint	p. 106
4.2.2 Exploiting the constraint	p. 109
4.2.3 Subordinating merging paths	p. 113
4.2.4 Task performance	p. 115
4.2.5 Early start versus late finish	p. 116
4.3 Exploiting the plan using buffer management	p. 117
4.4 Features (more or less) from PMBOK	p. 120
4.4.1 Project charter	p. 121
4.4.2 Project work plan	p. 121
4.4.3 Project measurement and control process	p. 122
4.4.4 Project change control	p. 123
4.4.5 Project risk management	p. 123
4.5 Summary	p. 123
References	p. 124
5 Starting a new project	p. 125
5.1 Project initiation process	p. 125
5.2 The project charter	p. 126
5.3 Stakeholder endorsement	p. 127
5.4 The work breakdown structure	p. 127
5.5 Responsibility assignment	p. 130
5.6 Milestone sequencing	p. 131
5.7 Work packages	p. 133
5.7.1 Assumptions	p. 134
5.7.2 Project logic	p. 135
5.7.3 How many tasks?	p. 137
5.7.4 Activity duration estimate	p. 138
5.7.5 Uncertainty revisited	p. 139
5.7.6 Cost buffer	p. 141
5.7.7 Basis for cost estimates	p. 143
5.8 The project work plan	p. 144
5.9 A planning and control policy	p. 145
5.10 Change management	p. 147
5.11 Project closure	p. 148
5.12 Summary	p. 148
References	p. 149
6 Developing the (single-project) critical chain plan	p. 151
6.1 The process	p. 151
6.2 The "good enough" concept	p. 153
6.3 Examples and practice	p. 154
6.3.1 Small example	p. 154
6.3.2 Large example	p. 159
6.3.3 Large exercise	p. 164
6.4 Buffer and threshold sizing	p. 164
6.4.1 Statistical background	p. 167
6.4.2 Project buffer size	p. 168
6.4.3 Feeding buffer size	p. 169
6.4.4 Buffer trigger points	p. 169
6.4.5 Resource buffer size	p. 170
6.5 Cost buffer	p. 170
6.6 Methods to create the plan	p. 171
6.6.1 Manual method	p. 171
6.6.2 Critical path software	p. 172
6.6.3 Critical chain software	p. 174
6.7 External constraints	p. 174
6.8 Reducing planned time (a.k.a. dictated end dates)	p. 175
6.8.1 Acceleration without cost impact (exploit and subordinate to the constraint)	p. 175
6.8.2 Acceleration with increased raw material cost (elevate the constraint)	p. 176
6.9 Enterprisewide resource planning	p. 176
6.10 Frequently asked questions	p. 177
6.11 Summary	p. 180
7 Developing the enterprise multiproject critical chain plan	p. 183
7.1 Identifying the multiproject constraint	p. 183
7.2 Exploiting the multiproject constraint	p. 189
7.3 Features of multiproject critical chains	p. 190
7.3.1 Project priority	p. 190
7.3.2 Selecting the drum resource	p. 191
7.3.3 The drum schedule	p. 193
7.3.4 The capacity constraint buffer	p. 194
7.3.5 The drum buffer	p. 194
7.3.6 Project schedules	p. 195
7.4 Introducing new projects to the enterprise	p. 195
7.5 Summary	p. 197
8 Measurement and control	p. 199
8.1 Buffer management	p. 201
8.1.1 Status reporting	p. 201
8.1.2 The buffer report	p. 202
8.1.3 Resource use of buffer reports	p. 204
8.2 The cost buffer	p. 205
8.2.1 Cost buffer penetration	p. 206
8.3 Quality measurement	p. 208
8.4 Responses to buffer signals	p. 209
8.4.1 Schedule buffer exceeds first third	p. 209
8.4.2 Cost buffer exceeds first third	p. 210
8.4.3 Dollar-days quality increasing	p. 211
8.4.4 Schedule buffer exceeds second third	p. 211
8.4.5 Cost buffer exceeds second third	p. 211
8.5 The cost world	p. 211
8.6 Change control actions	p. 214
8.7 Summary	p. 215
References	p. 216
9 Implementing the change to critical chain	p. 217
9.1 Implementation model	p. 218
9.2 Vision of the end	p. 223
9.3 Implementation theory	p. 224
9.3.1 The rule of 3-4-3	p. 224
9.3.2 Appreciation for a system	p. 226
9.3.3 Resistance to change	p. 228
9.3.4 Psychology	p. 230
9.3.5 Paradigm lock	p. 232
9.4 Goldratt's resistance model	p. 239
9.4.1 Overcoming layers 1, 2, and 3	p. 239
9.4.2 Overcoming layer 4	p. 239
9.4.3 Overcoming layer 5	p. 241
9.4.4 Overcoming layer 6	p. 241
9.5 To pilot or not to pilot?	p. 242
9.6 Plan the change	p. 244
9.6.1 Endorse the implementation project	p. 244
9.6.2 Charter the implementation project	p. 245
9.6.3 Create the implementation project work plan	p. 245
9.6.4 Plan to prevent or mitigate implementation risks	p. 250
9.7 Move ahead!	p. 251
9.8 Measure and control implementation	p. 253
9.9 What if implementation progress stalls?	p. 255
9.10 Summary	p. 255
References	p. 256
10 Project risk management	p. 257
10.1 Defining project risk management	p. 259
10.2 Risk management process	p. 259
10.2.1 The risk matrix	p. 260
10.2.2 Incorporating risk assessment into the project process	p. 262
10.3 Identifying risks	p. 262
10.3.1 Risk list	p. 262
10.3.2 Classifying risk probability	p. 264
10.3.3 Classifying risk impact	p. 267
10.4 Planning to control risks	p. 268
10.4.1 Risk monitoring	p. 268
10.4.2 Prevention	p. 268
10.4.3 Mitigation planning	p. 268
10.5 Summary	p. 268
References	p. 269
11 The TOC thinking process applied to project management	p. 271
11.1 Applying Goldratt's thinking process to project management	p. 272
11.2 Current-reality tree	p. 273
11.2.1 Policies, measures, and behavior	p. 276
11.2.2 Feedback loops	p. 276
11.2.3 Scrutiny	p. 277
11.2.4 Buy-in	p. 278
11.3 Future reality tree	p. 279
11.3.1 Desired effects	p. 279
11.3.2 Injections	p. 279
11.3.3 Future reality tree	p. 282
11.3.4 Feedback loops	p. 282
11.3.5 Unintended consequences (a.k.a. negative branches)	p. 284
11.4 Prerequisite tree	p. 287
11.5 Transition tree	p. 289
11.6 The multiproject process	p. 290
11.6.1 Multiproject current-reality tree additions	p. 290
11.6.2 Multiproject future-reality tree additions	p. 291
11.6.3 Multiproject prerequisite tree additions	p. 291
11.7 Future directions	p. 292
11.8 Summary	p. 293
11.9 Closure	p. 294
References	p. 295
List of acronyms and abbreviations	p. 297
Glossary	p. 299
About the author	p. 315
Index	p. 317

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Table of Contents