The Canadian Civil War: Volume 4 - Mississippi Beast

by William Wresch

Chapter 24 –

  Attack of the PERT charts

  The cot people were pretty good about finding me a quiet place to sleep. I guessed it was a teacher’s lounge or something. Not that I paid much attention. I laid down and was out within seconds. Several hours later I was awoken by the smell of food. Hoping I didn’t look too disheveled, I finger-combed my hair and headed back to the auditorium. I was in luck. They appeared to have just finished eating, and two people were wheeling carts of leftovers out of the room. I took a sandwich as they rolled by, and since they seemed fine with that, I took a second.

  Inside the room, the only thing that had changed was a large screen. It was mounted on the back wall of the stage, and it was currently displaying a large drawing that looked like badly drawn spider. My first thought was that there was an insect infestation adding to all the other problems the city faced. As I munched my sandwiches I took a closer look and realized I was staring at a PERT chart.

  We had used such charts in my father’s business for larger projects, so it was not surprising to see such a chart, but it was surprising to see Canadians using one. After all, it was an American invention. Our navy had come up with it to plan out large ship building projects. The idea was to track the sub components and make sure they were done in the right order and completed when needed. It made no sense to have the hull done if you then had to sit two years while the engines were manufactured, or install the engine and then sit for a year waiting for the propellers. In short, it was a great vehicle for American efficiency. What were the French doing with it?

  By the time I was done with my second sandwich, I realized why the Canadians were using it, and who was directing its development. Didn’t she ever get tired? Sometimes she spoke from her seat at the table, and sometimes she got up and pointed to places on the screen. I knew pretty quickly what was animating her – the critical path. The chief value of a PERT chart is its ability to help you visualize dependencies. She was looking for which actions were the most crucial to get this city back on its feet. Every time she rose it was to ask one of two questions – can we take two days off that? Or, who can we put on that to ensure it gets done?

  I was surprised by the candor around the second question. One department would be suggested, or one project leader, only to have several people describe problems in the department or person. National performance reviews were being done on the fly – and mostly in public. True, there were only about two dozen department heads on the stage, but there were easily fifty others in the room working around tables or at computers, and to think they weren’t listening was just silly. They were overhearing every word, and you could assume it would just be hours before reports filtered back to people all over Canada. There would be some interesting emails making the rounds tonight.

  While I was standing in the back of the room watching the discussion, the young officer I had talked to in the morning came over to me accompanied by a general. I could tell he was a general, both because there were two stars on his shoulder, and because he walked like a man who assumed you knew he was a general. The young officer spoke first.

  “Dr. Murphy, after I spoke with your company manager this morning, I reported to General Riloux, and he has been in contact with your manager.” With that he stopped, and seemed to edge back a fraction of an inch. He had been asked to say something, he had said it, he was done, now he needed to back out of the way.

  “Dr. Murphy,” the general began. “I have been very impressed with Mr. LeClerk. He has been very helpful. Our experts have explained to us the importance of the warehouses to the business processes of the country, and he has been able to describe their needs to us.”

  “Yes, I have been impressed with him as well.” Where was this conversation going? I had no idea.

  “Given his expertise, we have asked him to head a council of warehouse managers who would help us coordinate our redevelopment efforts.”

  “That would be a very good idea.”

  “He has refused, citing his need to devote all his efforts to the rebuilding of his facility.”

  “I will call my father and have him ask LeClerk to provide this help.”

  “Thank you, but we have had another idea. We would like you to head the council.” Do generals joke very often? I could think of no reason why I would even be considered. Then the general gave me two. “I know this would be a challenge, but we are told you have no other current assignment, and you were specifically recommended by the Interior Ministry.” So, Elise wanted me to do it. It would have been nice to have her tell me why, but I guessed that would have to wait.

  “What are you asking of this council?”

  “They are to have loading docks open and ready to conduct business in 14 days.”

  “What? They are still under water! Who gave you that timeline?”

  “It was explained to us that there is sufficient safety stock in most Canadian companies to bridge forward ten to fourteen days. After that, most production will stop.” I tried not to laugh when he used the term “safety stock.” The real name for safety stock should be – I ordered far too much, and now it is sitting in inventory taking up space and going obsolete, but hey, why do a calculation of my real needs when I can just order a big bunch at one time and call it safety stock? Any American inventory manager who used the term would be fired on the spot. But the French? Yes, given how lax they run their businesses, it would not surprise me if most did have “safety stock.” But still, where did the 14 day estimate come from?

  “How certain are you of that number?”

  “We got it from the one person whose mathematics abilities we trust.” He looked up at the stage at that moment. So, let me think, who has a Ph.D. in demographics, does data analysis all day every day, and happens to be in the room? Elise seemed to know we were talking about her, since she looked over at us and smiled. I waved back.

  “I will do the job, but you have to do me a favor in return.”

  “Oh?”

  “That woman up there had almost nothing to eat yesterday, and she got almost no sleep last night. If her boss has his way, she will get no sleep tonight. I need you to promise she will get to bed by midnight and be allowed to sleep at least until six.” Given the look I was now getting from the general, I began to wonder if my French had lapsed and I was now speaking in tongues. But eventually he replied.

  “I have never liked Americans.”

  “I’m stunned.”

  “I might come to like you. So, yes, I will be her nanny and make sure it is lights out at twelve and roll call at six. But you will have trucks on loading docks in fourteen days.” He turned and was off to give orders somewhere else. The young officer took over. He walked me out of the building and to a waiting car. I was off to head a council. Well, at least according to Elise, I finally looked Canadian.