Page 209 - The Six Sigma Project Planner

Synchronizer Resource Usage
Critical chain project management does not permit multitasking of scarce resources.
Instead, people and equipment that are fully utilized on projects, synchronizer resources, are
assigned to a sequence of single projects. The sequence of projects is based on enterprise
priorities. If a project requires one or more synchronizer resources, it is vital that your
project start dates integrate the schedules of these resources. In particular, this will require
that those activities that require time from a synchronizer resource (and the project as a
whole) stipulate, “Start no earlier than” dates. Although synchronizer resources are
protected by capacity buffers and might hypothetically start earlier than specified, the
usual practice is to utilize any unplanned excess capacity to allow the organization to
pursue additional opportunities, thereby increasing the organization’s capacity to complete
projects. Note that human resources are defined in terms of the skills required for the
activity, not in terms of individual people. In fact, the resource manager should refrain
from assigning an activity to an individual until all predecessors have been completed and
the activity is ready to begin. This precludes the temptation to multitask as the individual
looks ahead and sees the activity start date drawing near.

Project start dates are determined by beginning with the highest-priority project and
calculating the end date for the synchronizing resource based on the estimated duration
of all activities that require the synchronizing resource. The second-highest-priority
project’s start date is calculated by adding a capacity buffer to the expected end date of
the first project. The third-highest-priority project’s start date is based on the
completion date of the second, and so on. If, by chance, the synchronizing resource is
available before the scheduled start date, the time can be used to increase the
organization’s capacity to complete more projects. Figure 38 illustrates this strategy.

Summary and Preliminary Project Selection

At this point you have evaluated project candidates using a number of different criteria.
You must now rank the projects, and make your preliminary selections. You may use
Worksheet 70 to assist you with this. The reason your selections are preliminary is that
you lack complete data. As they work the project, Six Sigma project teams will
continuously reevaluate it and they may uncover data that will lower or raise the
project’s priority. The project sponsor is responsible for coordinating changes in priority
with the process owners.

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