Buffered Gantts

Table of Contents
Table of Contents..............................................................................................................................................1
Abstract.............................................................................................................................................................1
Introduction......................................................................................................................................................2
The Problem with Standard Project Management........................................................................................2
Critical Chain Project Management.............................................................................................................3
A Critiue of Critical Chain Project Management.......................................................................................!
"uffered #antt Charts.......................................................................................................................................$
%&er&iew......................................................................................................................................................$
Setting 'efaults............................................................................................................................................$
S(ecif)ing Tas* 'uration.............................................................................................................................+
Standard MS,Project................................................................................................................................+
Pro(osed Changes....................................................................................................................................+
The PA,Pert -ntr) Sheet............................................................................................................................
Calculate P-/T -stimates.........................................................................................................................
The "uffered #antt........................................................................................................................................
0ree 0loat1 Critical Paths1 and 2eading and Trailing Slac*......................................................................3
Identif)ing the Critical Path and Critical Chain...........................................................................................4
Identif)ing *e) tas*s manuall)...................................................................................................................15
6e) Tas* 7Critical Chain8 /e(orting and /esource "uffering 7Alerts8.....................................................15
/ecording Progress 7Trac*ing8 and buffer calculation...........................................................................15
Alerts1 or 9/esource "uffers:.....................................................................................................................12
Manual Alerts.........................................................................................................................................12
Automatic Alert Creation.......................................................................................................................13
The 6e) Tas* /e(ort..............................................................................................................................13
/eferences..................................................................................................................................................1!
Abstract
A (roject manager;s *e) s*ills are *nowing what to focus on1 and managing uncertaint) )et our (roject
management tools (ro&ide little hel(. MS Project can show us 9<ere are the 255 tas*s due to com(lete
this month:1 it cannot tell us 9<ere are the $ tas*s that )ou should focus on1 because these are the most
li*el) to derail )our (roject:. It can tell us that the (roject is scheduled to finish at 3=1$PM on >ednesda)
the 1!
th
of August 25131 but it can gi&e us no idea of whether this (rediction is li*el) to be o&ershot or
undershot1 or b) how much. %f course a c)nic would sa) 9?e&er undershot:.
-li)ahu #oldratt@s boo* ACritical ChainA created considerable contro&ers) with its claim to (resent a new
wa) of managing (rojects1 sol&ing (roblems of con&entional (roject management b) managing uncertaint)
in a new wa). Critical Chain Project Management 7CCPM8 see*s to manage uncertaint) effecti&el)
through the use of tas* buffers1 and monitoring buffer consum(tion.
In a (a(er (resented b) Professor TB&i /aB and me at PMI 2551 72ondon1 25518 in which we com(ared
CCPM with con&entional management1 we concluded that CCPM is sim(listic and flawed1 but e&en so
there was considerable merit in some of the CCPM ideas. %ur &iew was that best results were obtained
when these ideas were used within a con&entional PM framewor*. <owe&er1 this is difficult without
software su((ort.
A change is (ro(osed to MS,Project to allow the uncertaint) inherent in an) duration estimate to be
eC(ressed1 and eC(licitl) shown in re(orts and #antt Charts. This feature1 called A"uffered #antt ChartsA1
allows the uncertaint) inherent in an) duration estimate to be eC(licitl) shown in a #antt chart. This
combines the ad&antages of the conce(ts of Critical Chain Project Management with PA,P-/T anal)sis1
gi&ing (roject managers a more realistic &iew of the state of their (rojects than the s(urious certaint)
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im(lied b) the standard #antt charts. If im(lemented1 the MS Project would offer groundbrea*ing new
tools hel(ing (roject managers to manage uncertaint)1 and maintain focus.
Document Control
2551 Eersion 1
?o& 2553 Published to web site www.robertb.co.nB
March 2512 /e&iewed 7minor changes1 table of contents inserted8
All feedbac* to /obert.barnesFCtra.co.nB will be welcome.
Introduction
The Problem with Standard Project Management
Projects1 (articularl) IT (rojects1 ha&e a bad re(utation. A-&er)bod) *nows that IT (rojects are alwa)s
late1 cost more than the) should1 and under,deli&erA.
The basic (roblem is that we want two contradictor) things from (roject wor*ers. >e want them to
estimate accuratel) how long each tas* will ta*e1 so that we can de&elo( an accurate (roject (lan. >e also
want them to deli&er their tas*s on time1 or earl). -s(eciall) in IT (rojects1 where there are no clearl)
established metrics that can form a basis for estimation1 tas* durations are estimated b) as*ing the rele&ant
wor*ers A<ow long will it ta*eGA
0ew 7if an)8 wor*ers will gi&e an estimate that fairl) re(resents the a&erage1 with as much chance of being
under as o&er. After all1 one gains
little if an) credit for an accurate
estimate1 but major discredit for
being late. In&ariabl) the estimate
will be one that the wor*er belie&es
sufficient to com(lete the tas*= this
is well o&er the a&erage. If the
(robabilit) of the e&ent com(leting
follows a standard statistical cur&e1
then the difference between the
AA&erageA and AConfidentA 735H8
estimates can be substantial.
>e now form a (roject (lan with
these estimates. Clearl) there is substantial (adding in the estimates1 so wh) aren@t we confident that the
(roject will finish earl)G %ur
common eC(erience is that1 e&en when
estimates are belie&ed to ha&e
adeuate buffers1 the (roject as a
whole will be late. Again1 the reasons
for this are found in (s)cholog) and
business d)namics.
Iust as (roject wor*ers are
moti&ated to finish tas*s on
time1 the) are moti&ated to
Abe (roducti&eA. >or*er "
will not be waiting around
doing nothing while
>or*er A wor*s on Tas* A.
Instead heDshe will be gi&en
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another tas* that is not on the (roject@s critical (ath. This tas* ma) not e&en be from the same (roject.
>or*er " is told that the) should ha&e this tas* com(leted b) Ian 22
nd
1 in order to start wor*ing on Tas* ".
>or*er " *nows that the) are not needed until Ian 22
nd
= >or*er A *nows that >or*er " is not a&ailable
until then. There is therefore little (oint in >or*er A finishing earl)= this will just create a ga( between the
end of Tas* A and the beginning of Tas* "1 but it won@t s(eed the (roject u(. If >or*er A finds Tas* A
going &er) well1 then heDshe will ta*en on eCtra wor* , (erha(s adding some eCtra features1 (erha(s hel(ing
others with their tas*s. Par*inson@s 2aw , A>or* eC(ands to fill the time a&ailableA , will a((l).
In s(ite of the buffer built into Tas* A@s estimate1 it is therefore unli*el) to finish earl). %n the other hand1
a dela) in -IT<-/ of Tas* A or AAnother IobA will dela) the whole (roject. <ence the rule1
Task advances are lost. Task delays are passed on in full1
This is the reason for the common obser&ation that (rojects are usuall) late1 e&en when tas* estimates are
correct on a&erage. It seems that1 no matter how much we tr) to create accurate tas* estimates1 (rojects
*ee( running o&er time1 unless the estimates ha&e so much buffer 7reser&e8 time that the (rojects become
uneconomic.
If (roject managers belie&e that the tas* estimates are bloated1 the) arbitraril) shorten them. This has two
ad&erse conseuences. 0irstl)1 it leads to game (la)ing. The neCt time a tas* estimate is reuested1 the
wor*er will include e&en more buffer1 to allow for the management deduction. Secondl)1 and more
seriousl)1 it leads to a loss of credibilit)1 as wor*ers ha&e little commitment in meeting the arbitraril)
shortened estimate.
Critical Chain Project Management
9Critical Chain Project Management: 7CCPM8 claims to ha&e found a solution to this dilemma. The *e)
techniue is to eC(licitl) identif) the hidden buffer within the tas*s on the ACritical ChainA 7the resource,
le&eled critical (ath81 and then (ool the buffers. Management of this (roject buffer is a major method of
controlling the (roject.
As well as buffer on the main (roject (ath 7the ACritical ChainA81 buffer is identified on feeding chains. This
is called Afeeding bufferA. >ith the tas*s shortened1 but com(ensating buffer made eC(licit1 then the buffer
is o(enl) ac*nowledged and (ublicl) managed. >e now redraw the (re&ious (roject schedule li*e this= ,

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-ach tas* has been shortened1 but some or all of the time Asa&edA in each tas* is then re,inserted as an
eC(licit buffer. Instead of hiding buffer within indi&idual tas*s1 the buffer has been made eC(licit1 and is
measured b) the (roject manager. CCPM theor) argues that the amount of buffer can actuall) be less than
the amounts ta*en1 due to the mathematics of combining (robabilities. As the (roject is now eCecuted1 it is
eC(ected that the tas*s will o&er,run their estimates1 but in com(ensation time is released from the buffer.
As long as buffer consum(tion is in (ro(ortion 7or better8 than the amount of wor* along the 9Critical
Chain: 7the le&eled Critical Path81 the (roject is under control1 and will com(lete within the range of the
buffer.
There is an im(ortant and hel(ful change in (s)cholog) here. Instead of managing indi&idual tas*s to
finish on time1 we manage the o&erall (roject to finish earl). ?ow1 >or*er A aims for Thursda)1 and
>or*er " is told AJou could be needed from Thursda)A. Instead of the wor*ers and the (roject manager
(la)ing games with each other1 the attitude is Awe (robabl) won@t ma*e Thursda)1 but we@ll see how close
we can get1 and how earl) we can start Tas* "A. It@s now %6 to be late , although not too late. All (roject
sta*eholders win with this change of attitude.
This is a grossl) o&ersim(lified re&iew of CCPM. 0or a more com(lete co&erage1 a number of (a(ers and
(resentations are a&ailable at htt(=DDwww.robertb.co.nBD(roject.htm.
A Critique of Critical Chain Project Management.
CCPM has a number of eCcellent ideas. The most im(ortant of these is the conce(t of accounting for
duration uncertaint) b) ma*ing buffers eC(licit1 sharing the *nowledge of buffer siBes and (lacement with
wor*ers1 management1 and s(onsors. %ther im(ortant ideas are= ,
Consider resource a&ailabilit)1 and focus on the *e) tas*s and resourcesK
Constantl) monitor the amount of buffer in )our scheduleK
Pro&ide ad&ance notice of u(coming wor* to critical resourcesK
<owe&er1 although man) ha&e enthusiasticall) welcomed CCPM as it a((ears to ha&e resol&ed a number of
long,standing conflicts in (roject management1 it is o&er,h)(ed and sim(listic. Among the issues that
CCPM ignores or handles (oorl)= ,
CCPM@s buffer (ooling onl) wor*s (ro(erl) when the same buffer (ercentage can be eCtracted from
each tas*. Most of CCPM@s eCam(les assume that 1D3 of the tas* duration can be (ut into the buffer1
and no allowance is made for the fact that one tas* ma) be able to be (recisel) estimated1 while
another can onl) be guessed.
There is no mechanism in CCPM for handling fiCed dates= indeed1 CCPM literature regards a fiCed
deadline as an anathema. Sometimes howe&er fiCed deadlines are a fact. Perha(s a s)stem must be
changed to meet a legislati&e reuirement1 or financial )ear,end. Perha(s im(lementation must ta*e
(lace o&er a long wee*end= if we can;t ma*e ?ew Jear the neCt a&ailable statutor) holida) is a month
later1 for eCam(le.
CCPM focuses eCclusi&el) on schedule management1 and ignores other *inds of ris*. The CCPM
(rescri(tion for (riorit)1 focusing on the tas*s with the greatest Hage buffer use1 can lead one to ignore
other serious (roject ris*s and o((ortunities.
Trac*ing and resource management can be difficult with CCPM1 and the resource gra(h calculated
from a CCPM (roject schedule can gi&e an incorrect (icture of when resources are engaged.
CCPM is not su((orted b) mainstream software1 ma*ing it com(leC to manage in all but the sim(lest
(rojects. An add,in for Microsfoft Project 7APro,ChainA8 is a&ailable1 but not onl) is this not
mainstream1 it a((ears to sim(l) su((ort CCPM without addressing an) of these identified (roblems.
0or these reasons1 most (roject managers use CCPM conce(ts within a framewor* of con&entional (roject
management1 or else ignore CCPM altogether. Jet CCPM has much to offer if a reconciliation of the two
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&iew(oints could be achie&ed. Such reconciliation is (ro(osed with the following enhancement to MS,
Project.
Buffered Gantt Charts
Overview
A"uffered #antt ChartsA (ro&ide the best of both worlds. The) allow schedule uncertaint) to be sim(l)
eC(ressed and dis(la)ed1 so that the s(urious air of (recision of the con&entional #antt chart is a&oided. At
the same time1 the) a&oid the artificial and misleading re(resentation of CCPM. The) therefore combine
the ad&antages of con&entional (roject management with the benefits of CCPM1 while being easier to
manage than the classical P-/T a((roach.
To im(lement this1 the following changesDadditions are (ro(osed to standard MS,Project= ,
1D The tas* information form is amended to allow multi(le tas* estimates1 such as 9Most %(timistic:
and 9"uffer:. A &ariet) of methods of describing schedule uncertaint) can be (ro&ided.
2D A new #antt chart1 the 9"uffered #antt:1 dis(la)s the three estimates within the one #antt chart1
using different colors or (atterns to distinguish minimum tas* time1 and buffer time. "uffer time
is dis(la)ed with the tas* from which it originates1 but its accumulating effect on following tas*s
is also dis(la)ed.
3D "uffer consum(tion along the critical chain is calculated.
!D A 9Critical Chain: re(ort highlights (rogress along the Critical Chain1 calculating buffer
consum(tion1 and (ro&iding alerts to resources about to be allocated to Critical Chain acti&ities.
All facilities of standard MS,Project remain a&ailable. There is no additional com(leCit) for users who do
not need the "uffered #antt facilities. To enable these facilities to be used in &arious wa)s1 some o(tions
are needed= these o(tions are described first.
Setting Defaults
7These are (resumabl) a&ailable from the menu ToolsD%(tions. The names of these o(tions1 and their
default &alues1 are defined for consistenc) with the following teCt and eCam(les1 but could easil) be
changed if the) clash with other o(tion *e)words or with commonl) acce(ted nomenclature8.
The o(tions are not eC(lained here1 but are eC(lained later when the) are encountered.
?ame 'efault Ealue Comment
Initial tas* buffer 2ight "lue
Second tas* buffer #reen
6e) Tas* Colour 7for manuall),
indicated *e) tas*s8
2ight /ed The Critical Chain colour will be used if a
*e) tas* is calculated as being on the Critical
Chain
Tas* lin*age -C(ected Possible &alues , %(timistic1 eC(ected1
(essimistic
'efault "uffer /atio 35H Ealid range 5,155H
?brTas*-stimates 3 11 2 or 3. If 11 MS,Project has onl) one tas*
estimate1 and beha&es as at (resent. If 21 then
'uration and -C(ected 'uration are alwa)s
the same1 and are the a&erage of the
o(timistic and (essimistic &ariation
Lncertaint) Calculation
1
Sum 7default8
or SSM
If SSM1 the uncertaint) is calculated b) the
formula= Suare root of 7suared &aluesDnbr
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of &alues8
Lncertaint) 2oading 155H Ealid range 2$H,155H Lsed to calculate
leading and trailing uncertaint) when
calculating uncertaint) b) sum 7see
ALncertaint) CalculationA81 eg if set to $5H1
then the leading uncertaint) is $5H of the
initial buffers of (receding tas*s.
Secif!ing Tas" Duration
Standard MS-Project
In standard MS,Project1 tas* duration is either s(ecified in the 'uration column in the #antt chart1
or s(ecified with the Tas* Information Sheet
Standard MS,Project also (ro&ides three other duration fields for PA,P-/T anal)sis1
%(timistic 'uration
-C(ected 'uration
Pessimistic 'uration.
<owe&er1 these are not related to the normal 'uration field1 the) are not a&ailable for inclusion in the data
sheets with the normal #antt charts1 the) are initiall) set to Bero1 and the) are unrelated to the normal
duration. Thus )ou can set a tas* as ha&ing a 'uration N $d1 )et %(timistic 'uration N 15d1 -C(ected
'uration N 1$d1 and Pessimistic 'uration N 25d. This is nonsense1 )et there are no warning or error
messages. There is no (rocess that sets the P-/T &alues from duration.
Proposed Changes
If the o(tion 9?br of tas* estimates: is set to 31 the tas* information sheet now includes the three P-/T
durations= Pessimistic1 -C(ected1 and %(timistic estimates1 as well as the original 'uration.
1
I@m not sure if this is reall) needed. It ma) be too theoretical to be of (ractical &alue.
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The following rules are im(lemented both in the tas* information window1 and the PA,P-/T -ntr) Sheet=,
If 'uration is changed=,
%(timistic 'uration is set to 'uration O 7155,'efault/atio8H.
-C(ected 'uration is set to 'uration
Pessimistic 'uration is set to 'uration O 7155P'efault/atio8H.
If an) of the P-/T durations are eC(licitl) set1 then the 'uration will be recalculated according to the
P-/T weightings. This occurs immediatel)1 and does not need the 9Calculate P-/T: button.
Ealidit) chec*= %(timistic duration QN -C(ected 'uration QN Pessimistic 'uration

The default ratio is normall) set to 35H.
If the o(tion ?brTas*-stimates has &alue 21 then the -C(ected 'uration is not dis(la)ed1 and 'uration is a
dis(la),onl) column that is the a&erage of the %(timistic and Pessimistic &alues.
The PA-Pert Entry Sheet.
PA,Pert -ntr) Sheet modified to remain consistent with the abo&e rules= ,
If ?brTas*-stimates N 11 then there is no &alidit) chec*ing of the P-/T entries 7Ncurrent rules8.
If ?brTas*-stimates N 2 or 31 then the rules abo&e are im(lemented
Calculate PERT Estimates.
%ld (rojects 7before MS,Project has this enhancement8 ma) contain P-/T data which is absent or in&alid.
>ith the "uffered #antt enhancement a button1 QCalculate P-/T -stimatesR is (ro&ided to facilitate the
SreTcalculation and &alidation of P-/T estimates.
QCalculate P-/T -stimatesR causes the modified PA,Pert -ntr) Sheet to be dis(la)ed. An) absent &alues
are calculated from the default rules abo&e. In&alid data 7eg %(timistic duration R Pessimistic duration8 are
highlighted for correction.
The #uffered $antt
-ach tas* is dis(la)ed as follows1 using different colors 7or
(atterns8 to distinguish the range of tas* estimates.
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Tas*s are normall) lin*ed 7when 0,S or 0,0
relationshi(s8 from the -C(ected 'uration. This could
lead to a #antt chart li*e this1 which is similar to a
con&entional #antt chart eCce(t that tas*s Ao&erhangA
the start of the neCt tas*. <owe&er1 we@d li*e the chart to
the show the cumulati&e uncertaint). This is done b)
calculating leading and trailing uncertaint).
Tas* 2 is shown as starting at Tas* 1@s eC(ected finish. It
could start sooner1 (erha(s as soon as Tas* 1@s o(timistic
finish. Similarl)1 Tas* 3 might start as soon as tas* 2@s
o(timistic finish when Tas* 2 starts at Tas* 1@s o(timistic
finish.
That@s the o(timistic &iew. Pessimisticall)1 Tas* 2 might not start until Tas* 1@s (essimistic finish1 and tas*
3 might ha&e an e&en more dela)ed start due to Tas* 1 and Tas* 2 both using more than their eC(ected
duration.
To show this gra(hicall)1 the starting uncertaint) and finishing uncertaint) is calculated and dis(la)ed= ,
In the sim(lest case1 2eading Lncertaint) and Trailing Lncertaint) is calculated as the sum of the o(timistic
and (essimistic buffers on (receding tas*s. <owe&er this is (robabl) too large1 as one can eC(ect the
uncertainties to cancel each other out to some eCtent1 and so it is (ossible to modif) the calculation using
the standard statistical formula for adding &ariances.
0irstl)1 select the calculation t)(e= SLM1 or SSM. Secondl)1 for calculation t)(e SLM1 set the Lncertaint)
2oading.
Free Float, Critical Paths, and eading and Trailing Slac!.
As with a con&entional #antt chart1 when there are multi(le (aths through the tas* networ* some tas*s ma)
ha&e 90ree 0loat:. 0or eCam(le1 in the following con&entional #antt chart1 there is free float in the (ath ',
-1 as there is less wor* in ' (lus - than in " (lus C=,
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In a "uffered #antt1 free float is handled in eCactl) the same wa). It is not added into the leading
uncertaint) or trailing uncertaint).
%dentif!ing the Critical Path and Critical Chain.
The critical (ath is the (ath through the tas* networ* without an) free float U the (ath A U " U C U 0 in the
networ* abo&e. The critical (ath controls the (roject duration= the (roject can ne&er be shorter than this
(ath. If an) of the tas*s A1 "1 C1 or 0 ta*e more or less time than eC(ected1 then the (roject will ta*e more
or less time than eC(ected. <owe&er1 if tas*s ' or - ta*e more or less time1 then this does not affect the
(roject duration unless the o&errun is great enough to use u( all the free float1 and more.
>ith standard MS (roject1 the #antt chart can highlight the critical (ath=,
This changes the eCam(le abo&e1 as follows=,

<owe&er1 the critical (ath is defined assuming that resources are freel) a&ailable. This ma) not be the case.
0or eCam(le1 tas*s " and ' both reuire the same resource U wor*er A. >or*er A cannot do both tas*s in
fi&e da)s1 and the (roject duration calculated b) the critical (ath is unrealistic. A more realistic (lan would
dela) one of the tas*s1 for eCam(le not starting tas* ' until tas* " is finished1 so that the rate at which the
resource is used sta)s within the (ossible maCimum &alue 73 hours (er da)8. This is called 92e&eling: the
(lan. The following diagram shows the le&eled (roject (lan
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>hen the (roject (lan is le&eled1 there is still a (ath through the tas* networ* that determines the (roject;s
duration. This is called a 92e&eled Critical Path:1 or the 9Critical Chain:. In the abo&e (roject1 the Critical
Chain is= A U " U ' U - U 0. Standard Microsoft (roject has not identified Tas* " as being on the Critical
Chain.
It is (ossible that there are se&eral Critical Chain (aths1 just as there ma) be se&eral Critical Paths before
le&eling. 0or eCam(le1 in the following (roject a tas* "21 assigned to >or*er "1 has the same duration as
Tas* ".
>hile both Tas* " and Tas* "2 ha&e the same duration1 then there are two Critical Chains= A U " U ' U - U
0 and A U "2 U ' U - U 0
>ith the "uffered #antt enhancement1 the Critical Chain will be identified. 0or each tas* in the Critical
Chain= ,
Minimum tas* length= /ed 7ie1 the same blueDred change as for the standard #antt chart8
Initial buffer= 'efault 'ar* "lue 7or 'ar* CCC where CCC is the default color8
Second "uffer= 'efault 'ar* #reen 7or 'ar* CCC where CCC is the default color for the second buffer8.
%dentif!ing "e! tas"s manuall!.
Software cannot alwa)s identif) Athe reall) im(ortant thingsA. %ften a (roject manager will be aware that a
(articular tas* is im(ortant , (erha(s because of higher than usual uncertaint) in its estimate1 de(endenc)
on an uncertain resource1 high ris* of failure1 or a doBen other factors that aren@t sim(l) a conseuence of
the duration and de(endenc) noted in the (roject (lan.
6e) tas*s can be noted manuall) b) chec*ing a boC on the tas* sheet. If noted as a *e) tas*=,
The tas* will be colored light red 7default , ma) be changed8 on the #antt chart
It is included in *e) tas* re(orting.
&e! Tas" 'Critical Chain( )eorting and )esource #uffering 'Alerts(
Recording Progress "Trac!ing# and $u%%er calculation
As the (roject is eCecuted1 (rogress is re(orted= tas*s are started1 com(leted1 re,estimated1 and rescheduled.
Tas*s ma) be deleted1 and new tas*s inserted. All this is standard MS,Project , no change is made to the
wa) in which (rogress is entered into MS,Project. <owe&er the u(grade (ro&ides new re(orts su((orting
the Critical Chain conce(t of (rogress re(orting.
According to Critical Chain theor)1 (roject management should concentrate on the critical chain tas*s1 as
onl) these tas*s ha&e the (otential to dela) or ad&ance the (roject schedule. Progress along the critical
chain can be monitored b) measuring the buffer consum(tion= if )ou are $5H through the critical chain and
)ou ha&e consumed less than $5H of the a&ailable buffer1 then the (roject is ahead of schedule and under
control. If )ou ha&e consumed more than $5H of the a&ailable buffer1 then the (roject is running late and
correcti&e action ma) be necessar).
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Standard Critical Chain conce(ts 7see 9/eferences:8 use a single buffer from each tas*1 whereas "uffered
#antts (ro&ide two. The initial buffer for each tas* is the difference between its o(timistic duration and
eC(ected duration. The second buffer is the difference between its eC(ected duration and (essimistic
duration. /e(orting buffer usage against the combined buffers (ro&ides the standard Critical Chain
re(orting1 but re(orting the use of initial buffer onl) (ro&ides a more (recise anal)sis if the tas* buffers are
as)mmetric. The usage of both buffers is calculated and re(orted.
The following data is used in the eCam(les. Assume that it is da) 1+1 and Tas* ' has just been re(orted as
Com(leted=,
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The Critical Chain is A U " U ' U - U 0
The following is re(orted= ,
The total unbuffered wor* on this (ath is 13 da)s 7Add o(timistic durations8
The total initial buffer on this (ath is $ da)s 7Sum7eC(ected,o(timistic88
The total combined buffer on this (ath is 1! da)s 7Sum7Pessimistic U -C(ected88
Lnbuffered wor* com(leted is 12 da)s
Percentage of wor* com(leted ++H 712D138
"uffer consumed is ! da)s 7time consumed 7N1+8 U unbuffered wor* com(leted.
Hage initial buffer consumed N 35H 7!D$8
Relative %age of initial buffer consumed = 119% 735HD++H8
Hage of total buffer consumed N 24H 7!D1!8
/elati&e Hage of total buffer consumed N !2H 724D++8
If there are multi(le critical chains1 then the) are a&eraged.
Alerts* or +)esource #uffers,.
It is im(ortant to concentrate effort on *e) 7Critical Chain8 tas*s. >or*ers must be a&ailable to start on
these tas*s immediatel) the (redecessor tas* is finished. 0or eCam(le1 if >or*er C is bus) com(leting
some other tas* when >or*er A finishes Tas* '1 then he 7or she8 won;t be a&ailable to start Tas* -
immediatel)1 and the (roject will be held u(.
%n the other hand1 we are not concerned about >or*er ";s a&ailabilit) to start Tas* C1 as this is not on the
Critical Chain. A slight dela) while >or*er " finishes off whate&er else the) were doing does not matter.
>or*ers don;t usuall) just wait around until the) can start their tas*s= the) will t)(icall) *ee( bus) on other
(roducti&e wor*. It is therefore necessar) to alert them when the) are about to be reuired for a critical
chain tas*. #oldratt;s boo* Critical Chain 7see 9/eferences:8 calls this a /esource "uffer. Alternati&el) it
could be called an alert.
2i*e a milestone1 an alert is a Bero,duration1 Bero cost tas*1 but unli*e a milestone its schedule de(ends on
following1 not (receding1 tas*s.
Manual Alerts
If one is following Critical Chain methodolog)1 then one needs to create alerts manuall) b) inserting alert
tas*s1 eg Alert1 (receding Tas* -=,
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Co()right /obert "arnes
Alert 1 has been defined with a Start to 0inish 7S08 relationshi(1 with U2 da)s lag1 from Tas* -=,
The idea is that1 as the start of Tas* - a((roaches1 Alert1 becomes due. >or*er C is therefore warned that
he 7she8 is about to start wor* on a Critical Chain tas* in a cou(le of da)s. <e 7she8 should (re(are to
sus(end whate&er is currentl) being wor*ed on in order to start the critical tas*.
<owe&er1 using eC(licit tas*s as alerts li*e this is clums) and gi&es no information that is not alread)
ob&ious.
Automatic Alert Creation
Instead of reuiring alert tas*s to be created1 their eCistence is inferred and re(orted on the 6e) Tas* re(ort.
An alert is noted when a resource1 not currentl) wor*ing on a critical chain tas*1 is reuired for a future
critical chain tas*. The alert date is the earliest (ossible start of the related tas* U ie the date at the start of
the tas*;s leading slac*.
The &ey Tas! Report.
This has four sections=,
1D "uffer consum(tion data 7as abo&e81
2D Started *e) tas*s=,
Tas* ?ame Hage Com(lete SeC(ectedT 'ate com(leted
A *e) tas* is an) tas* which has been manuall) designated as a *e) tas*1 or is on the critical chain.
3D /emaining *e) tas*s
Tas* ?ame1 %(timistic start 7Nstart of leading uncertaint)81 -C(ected Start1 %(timistic 0inish1 -C(ected
0inish1 Pessimistic 0inish1 Eer) Pessimistic 0inish 7N end of trailing uncertaint)8
!D Alerts
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Co()right /obert "arnes
>here a *e) tas* reuires a resource that is not reuired for the (redecessor tas*SsT on the critical chain1
then the re(ort lists
Tas* ?ame /esource name %(timistic Start -C(ected Start
)eferences
0or MS,Project1 refer to the software;s <el(.
These boo*s eC(lain the conce(ts of Critical Chain=,
9Critical Chain:1 b) -.<. #oldratt 7?orth /i&er Press1 A(ril 144.8
9Project Management in the 0ast 2ane:1 b) /obert C. ?ewbold 7The St. 2ucie Press1 14431 IS"? 1,$.!!!,
14$,.8
htt(=DDwww.robertb.co.nBD(roject.htm. This web (age references a number of (a(ers and (resentations on
(roject management in general1 and CCPM in (articular.
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Co()right /obert "arnes