This Focused Performance Weblog is a "business management blog" containing links and commentary related primarily to organizational effectiveness with a "Theory of Constraints" perspective. TOC is noted for its applications in Project Management and Multi-Project Management (Critical Chain) and Operations Management (Drum-Buffer-Rope), as well as in Marketing, Strategic Planning and Change Management (TOC Thinking Processes). If you are on an archive page, current postings are found here.
Monday, November 11, 2002
• Reforming Project Management - Afer being away from my braodband for a few weeks (it's amazing how spoiled one gets, and how unappreciated certain things are until you don't have them), and a tough time getting back into the blogging habit, I paid a revisit to Hal Macomber's blog, in which he is preparing to unleash upon the world his thoughts on "Uncertainty as a basis of project theory and practice..."
"Protecting the value of a project involves dealing with the uncertainty that will be associated with its delivery. The role of Project Management is to assist in turning uncertain events and efforts into certain outcomes and promises. If this is the case, then the primary process associated with project management should be that of risk management. How other processes, such as scope, schedule, and spending management support risk management is therefore critical for successful project management and for maximizing the value of our project-based efforts. One of the more recently introduced project management methodologies has at its core a focus on the management of uncertainty and risk."
"Uncertainty is why we need project management. How we manage for uncertainty is at the core of improvement of project performance -- getting projects done both faster and with better reliability of the promised deliverable dates."
I know from Hal's previous comments and from his links (including to this blog -- thanks, pal, and here's back atcha) that he has a healthy respect for Goldratt's Theory of Constraints. As I'm sure he can appreciate, all of the "logistical" applications of TOC, for PM, as well as for production management and supply chain management, are based on a healthy respect for uncertainty...for the fact that Murphy's Law has yet to be repealed, for the fact that estimates/forecasts are only glorified guesses, and for the fact that it is human to err.
And I'm with him in the belief that Project Management is primarily an exercise in recognizing, mitigating, and managing uncertainty.
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