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SOFTWARE FOR CCPM 89

A review of some of the earlier writings on CCPM and subsequent discus-
sions with other consultants who have been engaged in research and dialog on
traditional and critical chain methodologies has given rise to some interesting
commentary.

For instance, we have a claim that “The critical chain plan effectively elimi-
nates most resource contention before the project starts. CCPM specifies the
critical chain, rather than the critical path, as the project constraint. This path in-
cludes resource dependencies, and does not change during project execution.”

I have a problem believing that the multiproject resource environment is so
stable as to support the long-range scheduling of resources, without modification.
Are we to ignore the current trend toward project portfolio management and the
pressure to adjust the project mix and priorities to support the strategic objectives
of the enterprise? On the other hand, CCPM advocates argue that the buffers
created within the plan will cover the most likely areas of adjustment.

I certainly can’t accept as any revelation the following capability: “Defines the
constraint for multiple projects as the constraining company resources. It links
projects through this resource. . . .” Heck, I’ve been doing this since 1962.

CCPM advocates also cite several examples of corporate success in imple-
menting CCPM. I don’t doubt the results, but can we conclude, for certain, that
these successes were the result of a shift from traditional project management to
CCPM, or the result of adopting structured and practical PM practices in place of
a nonproject management environment? There is a lot of good, practical sense in
the Critical Chain, and Goldratt has an approach that can get the attention of
people who may have been intimidated or turned off by earlier attempts to indoc-
trinate them in the value of good project management. But I can’t see anything
revolutionary in the CCPM approach. It is still fundamentally based on tradi-
tional critical path theory. The unique and valuable aspect of CCPM is its use of
shared contingency, via the various buffers.

I would suggest that the improved results would be available to any organiza-
tion that modifies its behavior and decides to take PM seriously.

Software for CCPM

Goldratt acknowledges that computer assistance is necessary to calculate the crit-
ical chain and to manipulate the various buffers. Here are two products that are
available to support CCPM.

The first is ProChain Project Scheduling, from ProChain Solutions, Inc., (703)
490-8821 or www.prochain.com. ProChain sits on top of Microsoft Project, and is
run from within MSP. Task Bars and ProChain Views are added to the MSP
screen. ProChain will first Load Level, considering dependency and resource