Critical path and critical chain

Critical path and critical chain

Introduction

Critical path and the critical chain methods are methods used in project management. Project management is the combination of related practices in the process of coming up, planning, controlling as well as delivering a project in the right many to ensure success in its completion. This is what drives to the great significance of the application of both critical path and critical chain methods in the project management field as per Kerzner & Kerzner (2017 P.130). The methods are actually useful in the formulation of the base of decision making and solving any arising problems at the same time. Though the critical path and the critical chain methods are the most used approaches there are also other methods of project management which include; PRojects IN Controlled Environments 2, lean, Six Sigma and SCRUM.  According to Montazeri (2017 P. 40) these methods are most of the time confused though there is a huge difference between the two. The critical chain model mostly focuses on the resources sector and its origin is based on the theory of Constraints. The critical path model is actually based on task order. The above focus is what makes the critical chain methods most suitable in the business transformation projects. Both critical chain model and the critical path model being used in the idea f project management have various similarities and at the same time due to the difference in their focus, they also have differences.

Similarities between the critical path and critical chain

Both the critical chain and the critical path models while in use should be put in a design that adopts both critical chain chart and critical path chain. This simply means that in the usage of the two models charts should be put into use according to Leach (2017 P. 200-201). This is done to come up with a clear and reliable mean of the project management. This will mostly involve putting the first items in a box and drawing a line to connect to the subsequent items. Another critical similarity between the two models is that the use of time marks is used. These are the start and the end times. Due to the fact that sometimes these durations may be identical, they ought to be connected on a chat by the use of two lines. Finally, both models tend to involve the use of buffers in their formulation according to Sarkar & Babu (2016 P. 135). The main use of these buffers is to come up with the start schedules of the projects which aim at making estimates which finally land the whole process of determining the deadlines of the projects. These similarities are mainly as a result of the fact that both models are commonly used for a related function that is the process of project management.

Differences between the Critical path and critical chain

Though both the Critical path and critical chain models are used in the same field have carried with themselves several differences. These differences are discussed below. To start with, the critical path model is resource efficiency oriented while on the other hand, the critical chain model is delivery effectiveness oriented as per Anantatmula & Webb (2016 P. 1010). This is to mean that the critical path model is mostly concerned with the means and the process as well as the manner in which the project is being carried out. This may involve the analysis of the procedures and the tools used in the process of coming up with the project. It will be concerned with every item and material useful in the process.  According to Goldratt (2017 P. 45) on the other hand, the critical chain model will be based on the manner in which the project is presented basically at the time of delivery on the regardless of the deadline issued. The critical path model is static in nature whereas the critical chain model tends to be dynamic in nature. This simply is illustrated on the basis that the critical path model may be stagnant on the terms of incorporating new designs in the process of management of projects which is not the case with critical chain model. The critical chain model, on the other hand, will always come up with new various methods and ways of solving any arising issues.

The critical path has very few stakeholders while the critical chain model has more stakeholders compared to the critical path model as per Goto & Yokoyama (2016 P. 236). This is to mean that in the management of projects using the critical path model few people can be involved while on the other hand the critical chain model being a bit comprehensive will require a slightly higher number. The name critical “chain” model illustrates it more. It hence means a chain of stakeholders is required. This is also what makes critical path model to make easy estimates but the critical chain model will tend to be somehow difficult due to the fact that skipping a stage will make the whole process irrelevant according to Shurrab & Abbasi (2016 P.75).

Meredith (2016 P. 30) argues that the critical path model is commonly applied in those stable environments while the critical chain model is applicable in the fluid environment. This is as a result of the fact that critical path model is useful in simple project controlling whereas the critical chain model is commonly applicable to maintaining and controlling comprehensive projects. This is also accompanied by the issue of complexity in carrying out critical chain model analysis while on the other hand seems to be easy in analyzing using the critical path model of project management. Lastly, the critical path model has got very well defined tasks while the critical chain model has ill-defined tasks according to Yang & Fu (2014 P. 170). This is so because the critical path model focuses on the task orders while the critical chain model mostly focuses on the resources. These differences actually make the usage of the two criteria to sound different.

Summary

The process of project formulation is not just a mere process and hence should be controlled well and the right channels used. These channels mostly are the critical path model and the critical chain model of project management. They are both used for project management and both mostly aim at ensuring the best outcome from the process of project management. The two methods differ in some aspects such as their structure, for instance, the critical chain model being more comprehensive compared to the critical path model. Despite these available differences, both models work towards the same agenda that is making the best out of the projects.

Conclusion

Both the critical chain model and the critical path model of project management are actually very useful in the process of project management. The use of the methods will improve the performance of project assessment. Projects are very vital in the real life and hence these two approaches being the commonly used ones are very helpful.

Bibliography

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