Fixed duration tasks, strange behavior

[davidd31415]

I'm trying to get an intuitive grasp on the various task types and how resource assignments occur with them. I’m making progress but just got stuck:

I made two ‘fixed duration effort-driven’ tasks, each 1 day, on a 24-hr project calendar. Next I added a resource that works using the standard calendar.

I assigned the resource to the first task and results were as expected: the resource produced 8 hrs of work. I changed the work to 4 hrs and the results were as expected: the units changed to 50%.

Next I assigned the resource to the second task.
The results baffled me from the beginning. The worker was working 4 hrs on Monday from the first task. After being assigned to the second task, the worker worked 1 hr on Tue and 7 hrs on Wed.

I realize this has something to do with the 24hr project calendar but I do not understand how things work here.

I've had difficulty figuring out where time calculations came from when I have 24hr and 8hr resources working together on a project but I eventually found that the 24hr resource was starting at 12:00am while the 8hr resource was starting at 8:00AM but in this case I do not see a similar relationship.

In an attempt to learn more I just became even more confused...

I changed the work week to match up with the standard calendar, set the project to use the standard calendar, and deleted and re-made my 1day tasks. Assigning the resource to the first task produced the same results as before: 8hrs of work. Assigning the resource to the second task caused the resource to produce 8hrs of work on Tue. However, changing the work to 4hrs on Mon caused the units on Mon to change to 50% for the first task. The TUE task didn't move. Why didn't it adjust so that the resource would work 4hrs on Mon and 4hrs on TUE?

If anyone takes the time to read through this AND reply to this, THANK YOU so much.

 

[CintoLlach]

I'm having the same kind of trouble and not findin' clear method to understand why/how Project admin. the resources time in function, I supose, of the task' type and resources asigs.
I've found a text from MS 'MS Project 2002 Training Courseware' which in chapters 14-15 try to explain the subject and propose some practices on diferents values.
Anyway I'm still trying to digest it.
I can easy you my testings if that could be conv.
I'm so trying to find on the net or elsewhere easy templates or examples but not succedin' on it.

 

[PDQBach]

Stop messing about with the "24-hour" (or "Night-shift") calendar.

Keep things basic.

Start over and choose the "Standard" calendar. Rerun your tests and post back with questions based on the "Standard" calendar.

Since you have little understanding of the underlying fundamentals (it isn't rocket science but it is somewhat opaque) you'll make it easier on yourself (and on those of us who answer the questions here) if you build up your knowledge step-by-step rather than jumping in with variations that -- in all the years I've worked with Project -- I've never had to do.