Critical Chain Project Management


CCPM and the Rules of Flow offer unparalleled benefits to a project department. A dramatic increase in task output, a reduction in project lead-times, no compromise on scope or quality, a reduction in costs – and crucially, an increase in on-time delivery.

Derived from the Theory of Constraints (TOC) – a business management methodology founded by Dr. Eli Goldratt, focused om achieving breakthroughs in performance quickly within large, complex environments which are dominated by high uncertainty.

Dr. Eli Goldratt articulated his methodology in a series of books. One application of the Theory of Constraints was within project environments. He called it Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM). Later, his daughter, Dr. Efrat Goldratt-Ashlag, took up the baton to write what she describes as the book her father wished to write before he sadly passed away – ‘Goldratt’s Rules of Flow’.

What can CCPM and the Rules of Flow achieve?

On-Time Delivery
Deliver projects to the original due date, to the scope and within budget. Every time.
Higher Task Output

Complete a higher number of (the right) tasks at a faster rate.

Focus and Finish

Resources are permitted to focus and finish - say goodbye to bad multi-tasking!

Improved Visibility
Management have improved visibility over project progress and can deliver updates to senior management and stakeholders with confidence.
Key Resources Available

Prevent blockages to the flow of work by ensuring key resources have been offloaded and are available to advise.

Efficient Handovers

Handover work with a Full Kit (everything required to complete a task available from the beginning) and a clear scope ('definition of done') to prevent the need for rework.

Goldratt UK and Critical Chain Project Management

Goldratt UK is a management consultancy specialising in the practical application of the Theory of Constraints (TOC) to improve flow and capacity in Operations and Project environments.

The team have over 25 years’ experience implementing TOC and CCPM within client organisations to deliver rapid results which stand the test of time. A key element of the Goldratt UK solution is sustainability. Their CCPM experts will work with your in-house team to coach and mentor your people in the tools and techniques so that your business can flourish long after an implementation comes to its end.

Goldratt UK’s 10 Rules of Flow

Born from Critical Chain Project Management, there are now Goldratt UK’s 10 Rules of Flow.

Inspired by Dr. Efrat Goldratt-Ashlag’s business book ‘Goldratt’s Rules of Flow’, Goldratt UK have developed their own. A set of 10 Rules of Flow for Project Management, and a similar set for Manufacturing.

Have a watch of this 15-minute video to hear Goldratt UK’s Managing Director, Andy Watt give a short presentation on Critical Chain Project Management.

You can then read some of the Goldratt UK case studies below and find more on the website.

Andy Watt, Managing Director at Goldratt UK

Embraer Case Study

Bombardier Case Study

Railcare Case Study

Looking for more case studies? Read more Goldratt UK success stories here.

CCPM - Where it all began...

Eli Goldratt – Project Management

Eli Goldratt was a physicist, management consultant and author, best known for his development of the Theory of Constraints (TOC) – a successful business management philosophy. Many university reading lists still feature his business bestseller ‘The Goal’ and it is highly recommended by business leaders; ‘The Goal’ has been endorsed by Jeff Bezos, Times Magazine, and Forbes.

In the late 1980s / early 1990s, Goldratt and his colleagues began applying TOC concepts to project management environments, and thus Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) was developed. With a focus on resource utilisation, the key to CCPM is in identifying the ‘critical chain’ – the longest chain of dependent tasks – and managing project buffers to protect against inherent uncertainty and variability.

Goldratt documented his ideas in his book ‘Critical Chain’, published in 1997. He presents important principles in a novel format – like in ‘The Goal’ – which allows readers to digest sometimes complicated concepts in an easy (and enjoyable) way.

Hear Eli speak on some of the common complaints within project management in this 4-minute video.

Get 'Critical Chain' Free!

The perfect introduction. Goldratt UK may be able to provide you with free (no obligation) copies of Eli Goldratt's 'Critical Chain' to get you started on your CCPM journey. Request a free copy today.

When Eli sadly passed away in 2011, his legacy was continued through his work and his children. Dr. Efrat Goldratt-Ashlag, his daughter, published her book ‘Goldratt’s Rules of Flow: The Principles of The Goal Applied to Projects’ in 2022.

A fantastic introduction to those new to CCPM. Efrat has taken the understandings of 25-years’ worth of Critical Chain implementations and articulated it clearly and concisely in her new book, hitting all the crucial points to improve the rate of project delivery.

‘Goldratt’s Rules of Flow’ does a good job of tackling some of the obstacles around implementation. Throughout the book Efrat emphasises the role of people’s behaviours in the success of implementations highlighting the importance of effective measures.

Allow Efrat to tell her own story in this 28-minute video.

Efrat Goldratt-Ashlag – Goldratt’s Rules of Flow

BAE's 10 Rules of Flow

BAE Systems were curious about Critical Chain Project Management. Together with Goldratt UK, BAE developed their own CCPM-inspired Rules of Flow (listed below).

Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) were the first to engage with CCPM. The team at RBSL won multiple project management awards in 2023 for their implementation of Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) which saw a dramatic increase in the number of subcontracts placed on-time and passed the quality and maturity Critical Design Review on schedule and budget.

More CCPM Success Stories from Around the World...

Hear from others on a CCPM journey.

BAE Systems Australia – CCPM in MRO Case Study | Exepron (28 mins)

Railcare Using TOC to Improve Delivery Performance (8 mins)

TOC Case Study at US Marine Crops Logistics Depots (6 mins)

Efrat Goldratt-Ashlag Hosted by Phillip Marris (51 mins)

Helpful Webinar by Efrat Goldratt-Ashlag

Includes an interesting case study of Full Kitting applied in the US Airforce at 22:00 (8 mins). 

18 F35s were grounded due to an acute shortage of parts.

They implemented the Rules of Flow… Within approximately one month, the group cleared 11 hangar queen aircraft grounded for a combined total of 2,246 days for an assortment of issues.

They cleared their longest grounded aircraft which had been down for 960 days (2.6 years!) alongside another aircraft which had been grounded for 514 days. Both aircraft were cleared for flying.

TAP Portugal - Enhancing Airplane Availability (54 mins)

Using Critical Chain Project Management

Delta Air Lines Meeting Challenges in Engine Maintenance (30-minute video)

Using Critical Chain Project Management

Deliver Projects On-Time, To Scope and Budget - Every Time!

Be Curious about Critical Chain Project Management and the Rules of Flow.

Make a real difference to your business.