Application of critical chain to staged software development

• Main Author: Pepin, Ronald (Ronald Raymond), 1961-
• Other Authors: Steven D. Eppinger.
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2005
• Subjects: System Design and Management Program
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/9750

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, 1999. === Includes bibliographical references (leaves 58-59). === One in three IT projects are canceled before they are completed. Of the projects that are completed, over 75% are late, over budget or are released with reduced functionality. Average cost overruns are 189%; average schedule overruns are 222% (The Standish Group). The software development process and the project management techniques are critical components in completing a development project on time and on budget. Critical Chain Project Management techniques and a Staged Development process were designed to address issues that contribute to the large number of schedule and cost overruns. Critical Chain is based on Theory of Constraint principles developed by Eliyahu Go ldratt. Critical Chain offers practical methods for planning, scheduling, tracking and mitigating schedule risk in a development program. Staged Development, a form of an incremental product development lifecycle, is considered to be a software development best practice. Staged Development promises faster development schedules, increase progress visibility and higher quality. In this study the author researches, applies and analyzes the Critical Chain and Staged Development methodologies. The combination of the two methodologies created a process that served to increase likelihood of project success. === by Ronald Pepin. === S.M.