Theory of Constraints Project Management

TOC Project Management: Summary of Benefits
The network building process results in up-front agreement of all major stakeholders regarding important project objectives and deliverables; early identification of the key interdependencies that will dominate the project; clear task completion criteria; realistic resource needs; and a much more complete understanding of the project to be undertaken. The project scheduling process yields a feasible, immunized schedule centered on a Critical Chain of work that will dominate the project throughout execution - a shorter, better protected schedule that is able to absorb many known and unknown risks. This allows project mangers to focus on the critical few tasks, separated from the important many.

The synchronization of a portfolio of projects around a more heavily loaded resource staggers competing concurrent project demands on all resources, aligning project work to the organization’s true capacity to handle the work. This enables the organization to make realistic commitments that can be reliably met. Projects are accomplished in less time – starting later than they normally would using traditional methods yet finishing earlier. Managers also have a tool for assessing the impact of any major changes on the entire portfolio.

The project control mechanisms such as Buffer Management provide a clear indication of the health of each project. This, in turn, provides a sound basis for prioritizing the tasks for resource assignment. For the first time, managers have a tool that allows them to always assign their people to the task work that will benefit the organization most. Because project managers are able to focus in the right places and quickly determine recovery plans, project management becomes more proactive and less reactive, with a dramatically increased ability to meet schedule, cost and scope commitments without crisis spending.

The new work behaviors ensure high resource productivity, high task productivity, improved overall project performance and a much higher quality of work life.