Description
The Theory of Constraints body of knowledge has expanded rapidly over the last three decades. It springs from complex systems theory, multi-dimensional linear programming and a belief that logic can successfully be applied to technical-social human organizations. One of its most exciting applications is in the area of multi-project management known world-wide as Critical Chain Project Management, or CCPM. This books brings to the project manager a succinct overview and some of the major developments, some very recent, in the last 20 years. The eleven authors from seven countries offer useful insights into the CCPM application body of knowledge from the Goldratt Schools’ perspective. As with other existing applications of TOC thinking (including Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing, Sales, Accounting, Finance), parts of CCPM are counter-intuitive. We all try to do the best we can. Unfortunately, in large organizations, what is best for one part of the organization is rarely best for the organization as a whole. The term for this is ‘sub-optimization’ or, more precisely, optimizing at a local level to the detriment of the larger organization. In project management, the result of focusing on individual task performance frequently results in missed due dates, over-run budgets, and inadequate project scope. This generates unhappy customers and, for the organization, lost sales, decreasing profits and poor stock performance on the exchange market. The nine articles in this book, separated into five chapters, are designed to provide the knowledge and guidance to overcome sub-optimization and produce successful projects beyond most manager’s wildest dreams.
