Two key concepts we need to make our schedule work! Can Project aand the operator do this.

[John Sitka]

1.) Priority based automated resource assignment, reassignment and
calculation to illiminate overallocation.

I'm trying to develop what this really should be "called" so please
interpret via this example.

We have a set of resources in a pool that can all handle a certain task.
R1 does it best and is the preferred resource
R2 does an OK job of it
and R3 is used only if it means we can finish this project on time.

Well On time is a very big priority so no one here will complain if R3 is
available and gets used.

Now can I set up project to level in such a way that a trial and error
distribution of these
resources across the set of tasks they are valid for takes presedence over
moving the
timeline to illiminate overallocations.


2.) Variable Critical Path.

Again when it comes to leveling this is a means of allowing exceptions to
the predecessors when the
only other option is to move an end date.

The concept can best be described as....
It is nice that each task follows the next one but there is a level of
parallelism or alternate routing
that can take place when certain milestones are reached. The general plan
would not need to recognize the
alternates when there is no overallocation, and the plan would have a
logical and well defined flow.
A task reordering would only become necessary when an overallocation exists.
This reordering could of
course follow many branches or split to a parrallel subtask then come back
online. How to define?
Will it interact in a prioritized way with the two other constraints on the
project.

In Summarys......
Usual leveling until the end date is pushed late.
Then resource reassignment to alternates when usual leveling pushes end
date.
Then utilize critical path alternates when both usual levelling and
resources reassignment
fail to remove overallocations AND pushes end date.

I hope this is clear but I will try again as I wirte it out a couple times.
But these are the requirements of the software we need for our schedule.
What I need to know is if Project can do this for me. Any form or concept
is fine but the result needs to be that the levelling is constrained by end
date
and the other alternatives be tried first. Those alternatives would be the
suitable
but not previously chosen resource or the alternate path or order of tasks.
Automated of course because obviously there would be a huge number of
possible
combinations that would need to be tried during the leveling process to find
the best result.


Thanks.

 

[JackD]

No it does not.

Your second case is even more problematic than the first. How would project
know what the best "alternative" critical path is?
Wouldn't you really rather make these sort of decisions than having a
mindless piece of software do it?

Now, that said, project is fairly programable and it is likely that someone
with some VBA experience could write some code which would do these things,
but the functions are not built into project.

I'd really be concerned if I depended on a software tool to tell me what
order I should do my tasks in.

-Jack

 

[John Sitka]

Thanks tons JackD.

I'm concerned about that order too.
Can I ask how you would model the task order for something like this.

The true way the project would progress is this.

build --- drywall -- rough floor --- paint

that represents the general flow

But if paint had a resource overallocation on its day you could move paint
to rough floor's slot but then
rough floor has to move because you can't install the rough floor and paint
at the same time.
They aren't parallel because it is a "conditional" placement.
If rough floor first (that is no overallocation on paint as scheduled)
proceed to paint
If paint first (we had an overallocation on paint so we moved it ahead to
remove that oveallocation) go back and do rough floor
(in paints old slot) before moving on.

Simple condition; of course this is all spawned by an overallocation . No
overallocation then don't switch them.
Switch seems a very simple concept here, but it needs to be part of the best
fit leveling right.
Or else no optimization has taken place.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

They ARE potentially parallel but they use the same resource (the floor) so
resource leveling would place them sequentially; it would take into account
availability of other resources and your priority.
Putting a link from taskA to taskB means Task B uses the result of task A
hence CANNOT start before the end of A.
HTH

 

[JackD]

Here are some general principles:


1) The project file is a plan. It represents what you intend to do.
Obviously the real world is more complex and unpredictable. The accuracy of
your schedule estimates has a range of error in it. Identify it and don't
worry about finer detail than you can really know. (ie: to forecast the
weather we look at the clouds and don't count the raindrops)
2) Over time the plan changes. Painters get sick. Flooring doesn't show up.
It rains.
3) Give these two, your objective should be to be "close enough" over the
life of the project and do the sort of optimization you are talking about as
the project progresses. This means looking at what has been completed,
looking forward for the next few weeks (usually a three week lookahead is
performed), identifying any problems and then resolving problems and
optimizing the schedule.

The scheduling tool is not smarter than you. For it to be even half as smart
you will need to include all of the inputs available to you. This is nearly
impossible.

-Jack

 

[John Sitka]

Closer, so what do I do in this most basic of examples.

build --- drywall -- rough floor --- paint


1 build
resourse = builders
2 drywal
resource = drywalls
3 rough floor
resource = floor installers
resource = THE room to work in
4 paint
resource = painters
resource = THE room to work in
5 enjoyweeknd
resource = cold beer

What Priority do I set on rough floor and paint
to force a consideration that the resource availability
of painters and floor installers
is the driving factor behind the timing of these tasks.

They need to be sequential only to one another,
rough floor can follow paint OR paint can follow rough floor
No Links...
except that the predecessor of (rough floor OR paint) is drywall

put another way I see within the SET of two tasks order is unimportant but
they are serial.
the result of that SET is where the link would go once we move to the right.
That link is unknown until the SET has be resolved for order within itself
which was dependent on the overallocation.

or put another way... the link after the (rough floor, paint) SET is dynamic
so we don't know until the
overallocation has been resolved which precursor enjoyweekend will have.

or put another way... I would like to GROUP the rough floor and paint tasks
and link to that group.
The start and end link points in that group are determined by any
overallocation of zero and the order within that group is serial.

Please express in Project terms, methodology.

 

[John]

John,
I apologize ahead of time. The answer seems obvious. Skip operations 1
through 4 and go straight to 5 because the weekend is here. Oh by the
way, make sure the resource is readily available

John

 

[John Sitka]

John,
I apologize ahead of time. The answer seems obvious. Skip operations 1
through 4 and go straight to 5 because the weekend is here. Oh by the
way, make sure the resource is readily available

John

Bwa haa haaa!

Wow what a weekend it was! Best one yet this summer.


I reread the below and added <notes>

build --- drywall -- rough floor --- paint


1 build
resourse = builders
2 drywal
resource = drywalls
3 rough floor
resource = floor installers
resource = THE room to work in
4 paint
resource = painters
resource = THE room to work in
5 enjoyweeknd
resource = cold beer

What Priority <I'm not sure priority is the correct term> do I set on rough
floor and paint
to force a consideration <try one way then reverse them to see if they are
available> the other that the resource availability
of painters and floor installers is the driving factor behind the timing of
these tasks.

They need to be sequential only to one another,
rough floor can follow paint OR paint can follow rough floor
No Links...
except that the predecessor of (rough floor OR paint) is drywall

put another way I see within the SET of two tasks order is unimportant but
they are serial.
the result of that SET is where the link would go once we move to the right.
That link is unknown until the SET has be resolved for order within itself
which was dependent on the overallocation.

or put another way... the link after the (rough floor, paint) SET is dynamic
so we don't know until the
overallocation has been resolved which precursor enjoyweekend will have.

or put another way... I would like to GROUP the rough floor and paint tasks
and link to that group.
The start and end link points in that group are determined by any
overallocation of zero and the order within that group is serial.<not order,
I meant serial operations>

Please express in Project terms, methodology.


NEW STUFF

Each way of looking at it is fairly accurate in terms of the root of the
problem.
Summarized....
It is applying group rules to a resource set that define the behavior of
that set.
The levelling behavior must apply those rules to minimize the impact to
finish dates.

I can't even begin to conceive of how a resolution algorithm would
accomplish this.
But I'm pretty sure it would need some "weighted" or "scored" results from
each possible combination.

Low score wins!

If the order of resources within the SET is juggled one way and it results
in levelling that pushes
two projects five days to the right AND both still with finish dates sooner
than a limit it could be scored 10.
If the order of resources within the SET is juggled another way and it
results in levelling that pushes one project
7 days to the right which is two days past our limit finish date for that
project and the other project finish date stays
the same the score would need to be much higher than 10 even though the net
shift is less. Why? because we have violated
the key constraint of not pushing finish dates past a certain point. If we
can't deliever on time... might as well close the
shop doors right? Well I'd like Project to at least evaluate all possible
combinations before we do that.
Simply dig around for a best fit.

I'm just driving at a concept here more than anything. Can project be
managed in such a way to accomplish this.
Please shoot down the case I've presented here if it outrageous, flawed etc.

Thanks

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

You do exactly what you propose and then Tools, Resource leveling.
HTH

 

[John Sitka]

How do I group resources.
And define that group as having OR being a predessecor.

Thanks

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

You don't, but you don't need that to solve your problem
You assign both (or all three) resource to the task and in teh leveling
parameters uncheck "Leveling can adjust individual assignments"

HTH

 

[John Sitka]

I tried Jan but that was no help. Thanks.

Hi,

You don't, but you don't need that to solve your problem
You assign both (or all three) resource to the task and in teh leveling
parameters uncheck "Leveling can adjust individual assignments"

HTH

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/index.htm
32-495-300 620