ABSTRACT Critical Chain Project Management: An Overview Christopher Aitken Director: Elisabeth Umble, Ph.D.

The purpose of this thesis is to introduce to the reader Critical Chain Project Management, which is the application of the Theory of Constraints (TOC) process to project management. Eli Goldratt describes the process in the book Critical Chain. Applying Critical Chain protocol will improve the projects due date performance and the quality of deliverables, whatever the project or circumstance. To prove these claims this document explores specific case studies of recent implementations of Critical Chain. It then goes back to look at the history of project management and some of the innovations that led to Critical Chain, including an in depth look at Theory of Constraints. It concludes by exploring the TOC approach to causing change in thinking processes and how this would be done for Critical Chain. This document is written to be accessible to any reader regardless of the level of prior exposure to the Theory of Constraints.

APPROVED BY DIRECTOR OF HONORS THESIS:

______________________________________________________ Dr. Elisabeth Umble, Department of Management

APPROVED BY THE HONORS PROGRAM:

__________________________________________________

DATE: _______________________

CRITICAL CHAIN PROJECT MANAGEMENT: AN OVERVIEW

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Baylor University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Honors Program

By Christopher Aitken

Waco, Texas May, 2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION CHAPTER ONE: What is Critical Chain? CHAPTER TWO: Examples of Critical Chain Project Management CHAPTER THREE: The History of Project Management CHAPTER FOUR: Convincing someone to do Critical Chain BIBLIOGRAPHY iii 1 9 14 24 30

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DEDICATION

There are many people to thank that have helped me get to the point