A new framework of critical chain scheduling in project management

This paper proposes a new critical chain scheduling method in project management. The authors have already proposed a theoretical model, which provides an optimal total size of dummies to be inserted in the initial baseline schedule of a given project. Dummies, which are occasionally referred to as buffer, are useful to absorb schedule delays caused by a variety of uncertainties. Given the total size of dummies, this study explores for some useful rules under which we should allocate the dummies in the initial baseline schedule to generate a buffered schedule. Some computational experiments derive several important properties of buffered schedules with a view to demonstrating the effectiveness of those rules particularly in critical chain scheduling.