The Critical Path Method works very well when the components of the design and the project are mostly known to all responsible parties. CPM focuses on either a single-value delivery event, such as the completion of a building, or in major phases, such as turning over a floor at a time.
CPM does not work as well in situations where there are significant “Known-Unknowns” about the plan, and CPM really breaks down when there are “Unknown-Unknowns”:
- The final destination isn’t crystal clear, even to the leader
- The path to get there has unknowns
- The tools and tactics required to get there aren’t known to the team
In these situations, more agile management methods are required either in conjunction with or to replace CPM. This is especially true when managing Systems Development Teams
- Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
- Objectives & Key Results (OKRs)
- Lean Construction / Last Planner Systems (LPS)
- Continuous Improvement
- Agile PM Basics
There are similarities between all methods. Develop the systems that work best for your company at this point in time.
This is Part 7 of an 18-Part Series
Topics Covered in the Series Include:
- Developers
- Mistakes
- Robotics
- Workflow
- Support
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