MBA Online - Dis 6

Chapter 11: Advanced Topics in Planning and Scheduling: Agile and Critical Chain

Learning Objectives

1. Understand why Agile Project Management was developed and its advantages in planning for certain types of projects.
2. Understand the key features of the Extreme Programming (X P) planning process for software projects.
3. Understand the logic behind Theory of Constraints and its implications for Critical Chain scheduling.
4. Distinguish between critical path and critical chain project scheduling techniques.
5. Understand how critical chain methodology resolves project resource conflicts.
6. Apply critical chain project management to project portfolios.

Chapter 12: Resource Management 

Learning Objectives

1. Recognize the variety of constraints that can affect a project, making scheduling and planning difficult.
2. Understand how to apply resource-loading techniques to project schedules to identify potential resource overallocation situations.
3. Apply resource-leveling procedures to project activities over the baseline schedule using appropriate prioritization heuristics.
4. Follow the steps necessary to effectively smooth resource requirements across the project life cycle.
5. Apply resource management within a multiproject environment.

Based on the above learning outcome, answer the following questions.

1. Reflect on the assigned readings for the week. Identify what you thought was the most important concept(s), method(s), term(s), and/or any other thing that you felt was worthy of your understanding.

2. What are the practical implications internally (in terms of team motivation) and externally (for the customer) of making overly optimistic project delivery promises?

3. Consider a project to build a bridge over a river gorge.  What are some of the resource constraints that would make this project challenging?

4. It has been argued that a project schedule that has not been resource-leveled is useless.  Do you agree or disagree with this statement?  Why or why not?

 Respond to the post of at least two peers, using 100 words minimum each.

[Your initial post should be based upon the assigned reading for the week, so the textbook should be a source listed in your reference section and cited within the body of the text. Other sources are not required but feel free to use them if they aid in your discussion].

Reference:  Pinto, J.K. (2019). Project Management: Achieving Competitive Advantage (5thed). Boston: Pearson