Project Management

Critical ChainCCPM

A project scheduling method that accounts for resource constraints and protects the plan with aggregated buffers.

Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) applies Theory of Constraints thinking to projects. It identifies the longest chain of dependent tasks considering both task logic and resource availability, then strips padding from individual tasks and pools it into a shared project buffer.

By managing the project buffer rather than every task deadline, CCPM combats Parkinson's Law and student-syndrome delays that plague traditional critical path schedules.

Go Deeper
Critical Chain guide→Project Risk Management guide→
Related Terms
Critical Path Method
A scheduling technique that finds the longest sequence of dependent tasks, which determines the shortest possible project duration.
Theory of Constraints
A management philosophy that every system has one constraint limiting it, and improvement means managing that constraint.
Resource Leveling
Adjusting a project schedule to smooth resource demand and resolve over-allocations.
Gantt Chart
A horizontal bar chart that shows project tasks against a timeline, with their durations, dependencies, and progress.
PERT
A scheduling method that uses optimistic, likely, and pessimistic estimates to model task duration uncertainty.

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