Buffer Management Method for Multiple Projects in the CCPM-MPL Representation

Abstract

This research proposes a framework of buffer management for multi-project systems in the critical chain project management (CCPM) method, expressed in the form of max-plus linear (MPL) representation. Since time buffers are inserted in the projects for absorbing uncertainties in task durations and protecting the completion times, the proposed method provides a procedure for frequently surveying the rates of consumed buffers and the rate of elapsed times. Their relation expresses the performance of the projects which is plotted on a chart through the completed processes. The chart presents the current performance of the projects and their interaction, which alerts managers to make necessary decisions at the right time for managing each project and the entire multi-project system. The proposed framework can analyze the complex system readily, and it enables managers to make an effective decision on scheduling. The effectiveness of the framework is demonstrated through a numerical example.