Question

Compare and contrast "The Goal" and "Critical Chain" novels by Goldratt as it relates to Project Management

Answer 1

The Goal focuses on the theory of constraints, on bottlenecks and how to alleviate the bottlenecks, and applications of these concepts of operations management in real life. In this work of fiction the author brings out the main theme through the fictional case of a company called UniCo Manufacturing which has serious operations management problems. For this company everything is behind schedule and the book then outlines the importance of bottlenecks. The author outlines the role of bottlenecks and constraints in a manufacturing process and points out that identification of bottlenecks and constraints makes it possible to reduce their impact in operations. Doing this also helps the company to measure and control the flow of its materials. In this book UniCo’s managers identified the bottlenecks in their process and this enabled them to put in place necessary changes that eventually helped the company to increase its capacity on one hand and accelerate its production on the other hand.

Critical Chain focuses on the Critical Chain theory of Project Management. This book too (like The Goal) is written as a novel and hence uses fiction to drive home the underlying point and idea. The book uses the fictional story of a professor who is trying to become tenured and through this story Goldratt shows the application of Theory of Constraints to the subject of project management. This book provides a primer for Theory of Constraints and the five principle steps of Theory of Constraints is enumerated. The book focuses on importance of viewing the critical chain of a project. This will help to highlights a project’s constraints and this in turn will enable better project management as effects of constraints are mitigated and the constraints are removed.