Task Types help 2

[bhpepper]

Hello All,

I am confused about Task Types in project planning. I am using MS Project for an Oracle Report requirements project. Up till now we have not utilized any formal project structure to get this job done.

I will know how many reports need to be written, so there is a specific amount of work to be completed. I do not have a set budget or a set amount of resources, those variable will ebb and flow. I would like to be able to determine the number of resources we need and the associated costs. I can only assume that i will have to set up the project as Fixed Work if i am to allow MS Project to sort out the rest for me.

Additionally, will project be able to handle adjustments such as increasing and decreasing resources in the middle of the project?

Any feedback is appreciated

 

[PDQBach]

Right off the top let me make it absolutely clear: Project is a highly sophisticated piece of software. It's not a trivial application like Word (some text and a bunch of formatting) or Excel (some numbers, some equations and some formatting). Anyone can dive into Word and become immediately productive; in Excel it'll take a couple of days; in Project ... well, I've been using it daily for more than 8 years and I'm still learning.


You question shows you have a lot to learn. I strongly urge you to take a course in how to use MSProject.

For starters, though, memorize this table:

Fixed work tasks
Fixed unit tasks
Fixed duration tasks

Now, commit this to memory:

Work = Units * Duration


All tasks keep that equation balanced. But if you want to change one of those elements, what will happen?

You must understand the following:
1. When you change a task, you will be changing one of Work, Duration or Units.
2. If you change Duration ... should project change Work or Units or both (and, then, by how much)? If you change Work ... should project change Duration or Units or both (and, then, by how much)?
3. Now that you understand the problem, here is the solution:

If you want to change Work then you must hold either Duration or Units constant so that Project can vary the other element in the equation to keep the equation in balance.

So ...

1. Decide what you want to change (Work).
2. Decide what you want to hold constant (Duration or Units -- for this example we'll hold Duration constant).
3. Make the task a Fixed Duration task.
4. You change Work
5. Project keeps Duration unchanged.
6. Project changes Units so that the W=U*D equation stays in balance.

In your question you said "I can only assume that i will have to set up the project as Fixed Work if i am to allow MS Project to sort out the rest for me."

You can see now just how wrong your assumption was and how much you have to learn.

 

[bhpepper]

thank you for your response -- I agree that formal training would be of great value. Unfortunately, my company fails to see the value in a formal project management program for the company. My department has been assinged to this project, and I have been assigned to oversee it. Although I have an education background which covers project management, I have no field level experience. I am to run this project entirely cold, already behind, and with a good measure of contraints.

My interest in utilizing MS Project is based upon the assumption that it is a powerful tool. Besides simply using the application to educate myself are there recommendations for Books that would be useful?

 

[PDQBach]

Tough call. I don't like recommending books because different writers, different readers, different audiences ... Go to a good bookstore, grab a couple from the shelves and sit in a corner for a while. Or head down to the library (I never go to the library these days ... I just go on-line, put a hold on the book and have them deliver it to my small local branch and then go down to pick it up when it has arrived).

I've used the Que books and tried a few others. Basically, my knowledge is at the point where it has gone beyond what texts aim to teach so I haven't looked at books for quite some time.

Others in this topic may have better recommendations.

Just because your company won't pay, btw, is no reason to skip taking classes. Look at the community colleges or some of the high school night courses. In some ways, these will be better than a 3-day or 5-day course simply because you'll get a chance to work with the info you've picked up instead of having to get it all-at-once.

Google is your friend, too. Search on "Mike Glen" (use the quotes) or woodyswatch and see if you can find some useful lessons there.

 

[bhpepper]

Thanks for the feedback. Mike Glen was a good suggestion. I should take a course, i agree with you. For now though i am stuck reading and working with the program.

Have you ever used the master/sub project features? This seems like a very valuable tool.

 

[johnherman]

I like the Microsoft Project 2000 book by Vickey L. Quinn. Neither my company nor I have moved past Project 2000, so I can't help you with any newer books. However, people with significant MS Project experience (like PDQBach) will not get much if anything from this $19.99 list price book.

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The trouble with doing something right the first time is that noboby appreciates how difficult it was.
- Steven Wright

 

[PDQBach]

Master projects are great (but they bring with them their own issues).

At your stage, stick with a single project in each file or have one file that has numerous small projects. If your projects are < 100 tasks and you are running several, you'll find that it's often easier to have them as separate sections of a large file.

OTOH, of course, you may -- for simple logistical reasons -- want to keep them separate. This is one of those "if it works well for you in one way, then use that way" thingys.