– Critical Chain, Chapters 16-25
Your responses should total two pages or less
1- Chapter 16. It is suggested that safety be removed from individual tasks and that it be collected
into buffers that are strategically placed in the project. Explain the need for each of the following:
a. Project buffer
b. Feeder buffers
c. Resource buffers
2- Chapter 17. It is suggested that buffer management should replace traditional project scheduling
and milestones, and that this keeps people focused on what is important. How does this work?
3- Chapter 18. There are two kinds of projects, those that use primarily internal resources and those
that use primarily external (contractor/vendor) resources. How should the management of these two
types of projects differ under the Critical Chain methodology?
4- Chapter 20. Contractors compete with each other by bidding lower, and then try to make money
at the expense of the project on change orders. How can contractor behavior be more closely
aligned with project objectives?
5- Chapter 22. How does the critical chain differ from the critical path of traditional project
management?
6- Chapter 24. When common resources are used on multiple projects, many resource contentions
result. How should critical resources be managed when they are needed on multiple projects?
7- Practical: Download and install a trial version of any of the CChain Microsoft PM plug-in such
as: CC-(M) Pulse, Prochain, CCPM+, etc. Install and activate from within Microsoft PM. Then use it
to build a “Gantt Chart” as in Homework 2. Insert “Feed Buffers”, “Project Buffers”, “Resource
Conflicts”, into the Gantt Chart. Then demonstrate tracking and show buffer coloring during
various scenarios. Submit “Screen Shots” of various stages.