MS Project 2007 question

[mikejw]

Hello,

I am developing a simple schedule with no resources but 2 tasks out of 100
are hazardous and I would like to make the schedule so that when these tasks
occur, no other tasks can occur. In other words, even though all tasks are
moving around as the schedule is being developed, I would like to make sure
no other tasks can be scheduled wherever these 2 hazardous tasks fall. These
2 tasks are serial to every other task in the schedule. Is there a way to do
this?

Thanks for your help.
Mike

 

[Jim Aksel]

Create two milestones. Use milestone 1 as the successor task to all tasks
that must be complete prior to starting the hazardous tasks. Make Milestone
1 the predecessor to "Hazardous1". Link Harardous1 & 2 as you normally
would. Milestone2 is the successor to Hazardous2. Anyything that can occurr
after completion of Hazardous2 uses Milestone2 as a predecessor.

If you insert the columns Predecessor and Successor it should be easier to
see.

There was a similar post the other day where a different alternative was
offered. You can create and apply a special calendar that makes the days
when hazardous work is being performed as "non-working time". Apply that
calendar to all tasks except the two hazardous ones. However, if the
hazardous tasks must move (for example an abestos abatement contractor has to
start late) then you would need to modify the work times of the special
calendar. I prefer the first solution with the milestones.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim Aksel, MVP

Check out my blog for more information:
http://www.msprojectblog.com

 

[mikejw]

Thanks Jim.

On the milestone approach, I'm a little confused as there is a week or so
gap between the two hazardous tasks where other tasks are being performed, so
the two hazardous tasks don't directly feed each other, Haz 1 feeds tasks
that eventually feed into Haz 2. Do I need to add 4 milestones for this to
work?

MikeW

 

[Prasad]

Thanks Jim.

On the milestone approach, I'm a little confused as there is a week or so
gap between the two hazardous tasks where other tasks are being performed, so
the two hazardous tasks don't directly feed each other, Haz 1 feeds tasks
that eventually feed into Haz 2.  Do I need to add 4 milestones for this to
work?

MikeW

Mike,

Precluding the execution of a collection of tasks during the execution
of any specific task is trivial for any scheduling software that does
scheduling with automatic resource leveling. This can be done by
creating a dummy resource with sufficient capacity and assigning it to
the specific task and also to each task in the collection. The task
will grab the full capacity of the resource during its execution
preventing the execution of all the tasks in the collection. This way,
you could let the specific task be scheduled without any unnecessary
constraint.

Prasad
www.optisol.biz

 

[Jim Aksel]

Sure, extend the logic to create breaks in the work. In this case, add two
more milestones.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim Aksel, MVP

Check out my blog for more information:
http://www.msprojectblog.com