Page 110 - The Handbook for Quality Management a Complete Guide to Operational Excellence

96 I n t e g r a t e d P l a n n i n g S t r a t e g i c P l a n n i n g 97

Critical path
- Uncorrected for resource availability
- Note the contention for use of resource 3
- Project schedule indicates finish in 67 days
- Actual finish date will be much later (85+ days)
Resource-4 Resource-3 Resource-5
P1 A
Critical path
B
Resource-1 Resource-2
Resource-1 Resource-3
C
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95

Critical chain
- Resource contention eliminated
- Protective “pad” removed from each activity
- Project buffer added
- Planned completion: 68 days
Resource-4 Resource-3 Resource-5
P1 A Project buffer
Critical chain
B
Resource-1 Resource-2
Resource-1 Resource-3
C
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95

Effect of critical chain project management (actual status)
- Task durations vary (some take longer, some take less time)
- Double-line arrows indicate actual activity start and finish
- Project actually completes in 55 days (versus 68 days planned)
Actual
Planned
P1 A

B

C
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95
Figure 5.10 Critical Chain versus Critical Path.

irrelevant. What results is a dif ferent time duration, based on resource
usage. This is the Critical Chain. (Refer to Fig. 5.10.) Because the
Critical Chain now constitutes the con straint that determines the
earliest date that a project can finish, it’s cru cial to monitor progress
along the Critical Chain, because it reflects the progress of the entire
project.

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