Multiple delpoyment schedule help needed for large project

[dsm]

Hello,

I have a very large project (3.5 yrs approx) that is being deployed in phases.

Normally I would do a single plan for each phase. However, this project was
started before I arrived here (1 year ago) and currently all of the
requirements for the entire project have been gathered, a proof-of-concept
successfully completed, and site/facilities planning/preparation have been
completed. Even software and hardware have been ordered installed, with 2
possible pieces of hardware TBD.

There are 4 main areas with area 1 being done as 2 separate deployments,
programming for area 2 being started when our mock testing is being conducted
for area 1 part 2. Area 2 will be deployed over 6 increments. Area 3 covers
enhancements/add-ons for areas 1 & 2. And finally area 4 can be done
whenever it is approved internally with no dependencies on the other 3 areas.
However, the other 3 areas have work arounds that must be done if area 4 is
not part of the initial deployment.

As you can see this could be done as 11 or 12 separate plans, but I need to
show dependencies between all of these different areas and show dependencies.
Currently all of my resources belong to this project, but I do not have
enough resources to pull the trigger and get this done by 12/31/06.
Therefore, we have to phase our deployment schedule for this.

I need lots of help organizing this.

Thanks,
DSM

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi DSM,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

Sounds to me like you need a consultant to set it up for you. Who set up
the original? Can you get them back again? If you want someone else, try
asking here.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP

 

[Catfish Hunter]

It sounds like you need to have a Summary Task for each area and within each
area "Sub-Summary Task". You also need to make logic ties between the areas
but I don't suggest making logic ties to the Summary Task. Here is an example
of what I see:
AREA 1 - FIRST DEPLOYMENT (Summary Task)
DISCIPLINE WORK (Sub-Summary)
ID 1 - XXXXXXXXX
ID 2 - XXXXXXXXX
MOCK TESTING 1st DEPLOYMENT (Sub-Summary)
ID 100 - XXXXXXXX (successor ID 200)

(Repeat For 2nd Deployment)

AREA 2 - PROGRAMING (Summary Task)
INCREMENT 1 (Sub-Summary)
ID 200 - XXXXXXXX
You would continue this through out the entire project making the logic ties
you talked about. It's like eating an elephant. Good Luck.