Resource Management

[Naval]

I am trying to do a resource loading diagram for each of
my resources based on early start and late start times.
Any suggestions on how to do that. Also I am interested
in knowing how Microsoft Project 2002 does leveling of
resources (I am interested in the theoritical aspect of
it, like is there a known algorithm that Project uses to
do leveling). Thanks for your help!

Naval

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Naval,

As for your first question, I would like to understand a little better.
Do you want two different load diagrams?

There is only very little written dc on Leveling.

- The fundamental principles are well known. Project looks, within a given
time period the length of which is set by the user, at each resource. If it
is overallocated during the period, it will look at the taks it is planned
to work on during the period, and postpone the task(s) with the SMALLEST
PRIOITY until the overallocation is solved. Then is passes on to the next
period and so on.

- Obviously there are exception routines such as what if the user does not
want to postpone the final project finish date, etc. but this is beyond
reach of a post in a NG.

- The whole point is: "what is this priority?" I have the distinct
impression that projet makes a weighted priority, one number based on 5 or
more values (rather than priority factor one, then only priority factor 2,
etcetera.). These 5 values are mentioned in Help but the formula is not.

Hope this helps,

 

[Naval]

Hi Jan:

I have defined 2 *material* resources in my project: R1
and R2. I would like to create a load diagram that shows
the resource units required for R1 based on early start
time and late start time. I can then replicate the load
diagram for R2. I am also interested in calculating the
cumulative resource requiremnt for R1 and R2 individually
and then plot it. When I tried plotting the cumulative
resource requirement, MS Project would only let me plot
the *cumulative work* and NOT the cumulative resource
requirement. Any suggestion on how to do that? I
appreciate your time and help in this regards. Thanks,

Naval

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Naval,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

As a matter of interest, some 20 years ago, I attended the launch of
Computer Associates' Superproject for Windows. At the end of the
presentation I asked if he would tell us the algorithm that they used to
determine the leveling process. He looked me in the eye and said: "That's
propriety information - next question please?" This part of the schedulling
engine that make one product different from another, and thus a jealously
guarded secret! However, one can make some educated guesses - Project
obeys the logic linking and starts at the first minute of the project
looking down the task list to see if there's any overallocation. It will
then look at the slack and delay a non-critical task infavour of a critical
task. If there is more than one non-critial tasks overallocated, it will
delay the one with the most slack first. And so on... And then the trail
stops - what if there are 2 critical tasks, which one gets delayed? My
guess is the one with the highest Task ID as there is an option to level by
ID Only. Now consider there being more that one resource assigned - which
one gets delayed? Again my guess is the resource with the highest Resource
ID. I'm sure you can see how complicated the algorithm can become with
multiple resources assigned! Nevertheless, this knowledge, plus the use of
priorities, give us plenty of scope for tailoring leveling to optimise our
requirements should we so desire.

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

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on )

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP

Also I am interested

 

[Steve House]

That is very confusing. A material resource is the consumable materials
that are incorporated into the project deliverables. If you have to pave a
walkway of, say 100 metres in length and it's going to require 5000 bricks
to do it, the bricks are one of the material resources. Now in your
question your mention of "(material) resource units required based on early
start and late start" implies that somehow if you pave that 100 metre
walkway THIS week it will require 5000 bricks but if you pave the same
walkway NEXT week it might require some different number of bricks to
complete the same 100 metres. No offense intended but that just doesn't
make any sense at all...