8/80 rule in Project 2007

[Barbara G]

We are struggling with getting enough information into the project without it
being too much information for the resources. PMs and Management don’t feel
the 8/80 rule gives them enough information on the individual tasks. Some PMs
are actually using two different plans, one that they use in EPM for tracking
time and an off line version with more detail. We recognize that it would be
a burden to have the resource log time for each 1 hour activity that they do.

How do we bridge the gap between giving the managers the depth of data that
they need without overburdening the resources?

 

[Dave]

We are struggling with getting enough information into the project without it
being too much information for the resources. PMs and Management don’t feel
the 8/80 rule gives them enough information on the individual tasks. Some PMs
are actually using two different plans, one that they use in EPM for tracking
time and an off line version with more detail. We recognize that it would be
a burden to have the resource log time for each 1 hour activity that they do.

How do we bridge the gap between giving the managers the depth of data that
they need without overburdening the resources?

I would suggest a different reporting mechanism to your management. It
seems incongruous that resources don't need to see the detail of what
they are working on but management do.

In terms of reporting, presumably management are concerned about
progress against the plan so reporting should be aimed at measuring
that. Earned value is one technique. Another useful thing to do is to
select key reporting milestones and track those against the plan.

At the end of the day, I would suggest that if management have time to
track 1-hour activities, then they could better spend that time
managing. Why is it that it isn't sufficient to know that a resource
has kept to his plan of work for a given day?