Simultaneous tasks?

[Ruth IC]

Folks,

In my project there are some tasks for which it doesn't matter what order
they are done in, and I don't wish to prejudge the implementator by
specifying an order in the plan.

Is there a simple way to represent such tasks?

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Ruth IC --

Consider the following example:

1. I have five tasks, each of which has a 1-day Duration
2. The same resource will be assigned to all five tasks
3. The tasks can be performed in any order as determined by the resource I
assign

Here's how I would model the above:

1. Type the names of all five tasks
2. Set the Duration of all five tasks to 5 days, representing the "window"
during which the work will be performed
3. Do not link any of these tasks with any of the other tasks to make them
parallel tasks
4. Assign the resource at 20% Units on each of the five tasks to avoid an
overallocation

When the resource enters actual work on each of the five tasks, and I update
the actuals into the Microsoft Project plan, the system will show me the
actual order in which the resource performed the five tasks. Just an idea.
Hope this helps.

 

[Ruth IC]

Dale,

Thanks for the reply. I see what you mean. That is exactly what I wanted to
do, but I was rather hoping I could tell Project to do the work (adjustment
of resource allocation) itself. Part of the problem is that the task blocks
are not necessarily nice and neat ...

I take it you can't?

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Ruth IC --

If you don't use a method such as the one I suggested, then you should
probably either set dependencies on the tasks in question, or create the
tasks without dependencies and them level them. Using either of these
methods will sequence the tasks, which you said you didn't want to do. Hope
this helps.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Dale,

Wjy turn around the only real and elegant solution Project offerswhich is
resoiurce leveling?
Put all resources on the task for the real duration @100% then tools,
rsource leveling, level now.
HTH

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Jan --

Because the person asking the question said they didn't want to order the
tasks, which is what both leveling and setting task dependencies would do.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

I rest my case.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

I rest my case.

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/
+32-495-300 620
"Dale Howard [MVP]" <dale(dot)howard(at)msprojectexperts(dot)com> schreef
in
bericht news:[email protected]...

 

[Joe]

I thought of doing exactly what Dale suggested and have in the past). While
it is a practical way to do it, there is one MAJOR flaw. If the multiple
task items are not the same duration (in the real world they probably would
not be) you will have allocation problems when one of the task it complete
and the others are still being worked on. For example, if you have 5 task
and assign each task at 20% allocation, then if task “A†is done first, the
other 4 tasks should be now allocated at 25% (in theory), but Project will
not do this for you automatically, so you end up having to manually re-adjust
the allocations. This can be a maintenance nightmare for large projects.
Using resource leveling or even setting up dependencies is far more easier to
manage.

Dale - I understand you were answering the question and not necessarily
recommending this as a solution. So I am not disagreeing with you, just
warning the person who asked that if you do use this method, be aware of the
issues.


Dale - I understand you were answering the question and not necessaerily
recomending your solution. So I am not disagreeing with you, just warning the
person to asked that if you do use this method.