The Critical Chain approach to multi-project management is based upon the goal of maximizing the total project throughput of the organization based upon project priorities within the capacity of key resources. You want to introduce new projects into your multi-project mix at a point that avoids conflict with key resources allocated to higher priority projects. This staggering of projects based upon key resource constraints is known as Project Synchronization.
In CCPM a key resource is known as a Drum Resource. If key resources are used by several projects, you can use the Synchronize Projects by staggering the projects based upon drum resources. This staggering inserts Capacity Buffers in projects to provide a gap between the use of a drum resource in one project and the subsequent use of that drum resource in another project. Calculation of the Capacity Buffer uses the same techniques as used for Project and Feeding Buffers; however, the calculation method applies to the overall duration of the continuous use of the Drum Resource in a predecessor project. The Capacity Buffer is then placed before the use of that Drum Resource in a successor project. The result of Synchronization is having all project tasks moved, as opposed to leveling, which only moves the conflicting tasks, and consequently their successors.
There is a possibility some conflicts may still occur if you have not given your projects enough time to synchronize against. Once this occurs you will need to re-set dates and then synchronize your projects again to allow enough stagger and to properly calculate the Capacity Buffer.
Log in to the HTML5 client.
Select the Work workspace.
Select multiple projects in the Project Data Selector.
Select the CCPM tab, Chain Analysis mode (
).Click on the Synchronize Projects (
) button.In the Synchronize Projects dialog box, select at least one Drum Resource by cklicking on the "Add >>" button.
Then, select the desired options.
Click on the OK button.
Switch on the Show Resource Conflict option to review Resources Conflicts.