Overview

This course on the critical chain scheduling technique is designed to introduce students to a new approach to scheduling that is leading to the creation of more realistic schedules than we have experienced using traditional scheduling techniques. One theme that will be emphasized is that critical chain scheduling is practical. Many people, when they understand the basic notions of critical chain scheduling, make the comment: "Why, it's just common sense scheduling!" They are correct.

When studying the critical chain method, it is important that students do not approach it as some arcane methodology that requires advanced knowledge of mathematics and operations research. While all scheduling requires discipline, estimating skills, and the ability to handle numbers, it is not rocket science. If you find yourself getting hung up on technique and you ignore common sense and good judgment, then you are doing something wrong. The most advanced scheduling algorithm in the world has little value if it does not accommodate human foibles, inconsistencies, politics, resource bottlenecks, and other "soft" issues of this ilk.

This course takes a common sense approach. Once students have completed it, they can start applying the principles they have learned. For those of you who want to explore the material in more detail, you should certainly read Robert C. Newbold's book, Project Management in the Fast Lane (Saint Lucie Press, 1999), and, of course, should obtain a copy of Eliyahu Goldratt's seminal work (a novel) titled Critical Chain (The North River Press, 1997).

[Note: Students who take Critical Chain Project Management should not take UMT-PM251. Planning and Control.]

Instruction

• Course modules containing cutting-edge knowledge developed by renowned experts in project management
• Course supplemental reading: The Critical Chain, a book by Eliyahu Goldratt
• Mentors Studio™ CD-ROM: Critical Chain Scheduling, featuring Dr. J. Davidson Frame
• "Think and Review" section that helps you review key points of the modules
• Answers to the "Think and Review" section
• A final exam which contains multiple choice and true/false questions
• Certificate of Completion, which makes students eligible for 15 PDU credits (given upon exam completion).

By completing the full course, with the additional enrichment material, you will have covered the same content contained in our two-day Chain and Time-boxed Scheduling course when it is offered live in a classroom environment.

Objectives

• To demonstrate that the chief constraints affecting project schedules are bottlenecks
• To show how bottlenecks can be identified
• To highlight important problems of estimating durations -- the Student Syndrome and Parkinson's Law
• To demonstrate the most effective way of estimating task durations
• To show the best ways to compute project buffers, feeder buffers, and resource buffers.

PMBOK Processes

• Initiating
• Planning
• Monitoring and Controlling

PMBOK Knowledge Areas

• Project Human Resource Management
• Project Time Management
• Project Scope Management
• Project Cost Management
• Project Risk Management
• Project Procurement Management

What You Will Learn

• Why schedules slip, even when they are heavily padded with extra time
• How to add padding to a schedule in such a way as to reduce project length dramatically
• How to improve schedule performance by identifying and fixing bottlenecks

Take a Course

This course costs $495. You can begin the course today, with no application necessary. There are four easy ways to sign up:

• Secure Online Payment (VISA, Master & American Express)
• Registration Form [Word]. Mail the form with your check to: UMT, 1901 North Fort Myer Drive, Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22209-1609.
• Fax the form to us at (703) 516-0985.
• Register by phone at (703) 516-0035.

Once the payment has cleared, you will be issued an ID name and a Password that will allow you to access the full course.

To access the course, log into the UMT online coursesite with your USER ID and PASSWORD at: coursesite.umtweb.edu.