nondependent tasks and timeline

[Ellen]

I was just assigned product manager responsibilities for
MS project because of a reorg and have never used it so am
trying go get up to speed. I received this question from
an end user and am not sure if it is possible. Everything
I've found in help so far is based dependencies. Is what
he wants to do even possible?

"I have over a 1000 tasks that are not dependent on each
other, but that I would like to get a feel for timelines.
I want to get a feel for how the tasks should be staffed.
I was hoping to do this by assigning the estimated
duration and the resources that I have available, but this
doesn't seem to change/push out the finish date. I know I
can do it by assigning dependencies, but I don't really
want to do that since that tasks aren't really dependent."

Any help on this would be appreciated.

 

[Marcus Pierce]

Ellen,

I assume the tasks need to adjust because of resource availability.
Otherwise, if the tasks are not dependent on each other, why would they push
each other out?

If this due to resource availability, then they need to level the the
resources. By setting resource leveling to automatic (Tools > Level
Resources), your end-user will see the tasks dynamically adjust according to
resource availability. They can also do this manually, as needed, of course.

Make sure they specify (in the leveling dialogue box) how they want Project
to handle leveling tasks. For example, whether tasks can be split, whether
assignments can be readjusted, etc.

--Marcus Pierce

 

[Ellen]

Marcus,

Thank you for responding to this. I sent these steps to
my end user and it accomplished what he was trying to do.

Ellen