The Critical Chain

As a huge fan of EM Goldratt's The Goal, I thought I'd give another book of his, The Critical Chain, a go. I was not disappointed.

If you liked The Goal, you will no doubt enjoy The Critical Chain as well. (If you haven't read The Goal, read it now!!) The format is very similar. It's a novel, where the main character(s) face problems because they are failing conventionally. A bright spark (a consultant, a professor etc) suggests thinking rather than following the herd, and the results are immediate. While the concepts illustrated in The Goal were mostly directed at manufacturing, The Critical Chain applies those same general concepts specifically to project management.

Everyone seems to agree that large projects are almost always delayed. The Critical Chain aims to answer why, and offer up solutions. I didn't know much about project management before reading this book, and I probably still don't, but I now have some hints on the sorts of things to look for to ensure I don't fail conventionally.

I recommend The Critical Chain to anyone in project management and to anyone who enjoys learning about productivity.