Realization - Functionality - Execution Management

Functionality

Execution anagement System creates an environment where management decisions have credibility - they are based on reliable information, and can be followed through in execution.

Planning: Critical chain and pipeline constraints are what limit execution throughput, thus providing a good basis for planning.

Execution: Buffer reports provide day-to-day priorities as well as advance warning of potential delays; they also highlight the areas on which to focus to get schedules back on track.

Ongoing Improvement: Monitoring consumption of buffers over time can highlight the areas where local improvements will have the most impact on execution performance.

Examples of Decision Support

	Planning	Execution	Ongoing Improvement
Project Managers	The critical chain is what limits project cycle time from being compressed. Identifying the critical chain activities and resources makes project tradeoffs possible (cycle time v/s scope v/s resources).	Chains with high buffer burn rates pose a high risk to the due-dates of respective projects. Identifying activities and resources on those chains makes it possible to plan buffer recovery.	Tighten project plans and specifications for groups of activities that persistently cause the fastest increase in the buffer burn rate.
Task Managers	Concurrent engineering and other technical solutions for collapsing cycle time can be prioritized and applied to activities that lie on critical chain.	Technical leads can now focus tactical solutions like ensuring prep work is done, encouraging relay runner mode etc. on upcoming tasks that lie on chains with high buffer burn rates.	Tighten technical processes and discipline for groups of tasks that persistently cause biggest increase in buffer burn rate.
Resource Managers	The most heavily loaded resources limit total pipeline throughput. Therefore, scheduling the pipeline based on the most heavily loaded resources generates true demand for all other resources. Now genuine resource planning becomes possible (where to add capacity, where to cut capacity, where to pool resources, where to cross-train, etc.)	Resources with a high portion of their peak loads coming from "red tasks" (tasks on chains with high buffer burn rates) pose a systemic risk to delivery of all projects. Identifying those resources and tasks allows smart decisions to be made about overtime, assigning skilled individuals to specific tasks etc.	Upgrade skills of, and provide better tools to, resources that consistently cause fastest increase in the buffer burn rate.
Unit Managers	What-if analysis of pipeline schedules allows due-date tradeoffs among competing projects. Capacity needed at constraint can be used to guide portfolio planning - projects providing the highest value per unit of constraint capacity will maximize portfolio value.	Projects in which the buffer burn rate keeps increasing, and the resources where red tasks accumulate require that either plan be adjusted, or extraordinary actions are taken.	Remove policy and other artificial constraints that persistently cause buffer burn rates to be high (e.g.: organizational structure, incentive plans, vendor selection, customer service protocols, batching of tasks, etc.)