Re: Task Queues

From: Howard Alsdorf (HowardAlsdorf_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 02/02/05 

Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2005 11:29:03 -0800

We are currently using Project 2003 Server. I have located a qualified
on-site resource to ask my questions.

Thanks,

Howard

"Steve House [MVP]" wrote:

> You haven't provided enough information to answer it. The biggest missing
> piece is how do the resources presently view tasks and get their
> assignments? Are you using Project Server, Project Central, Workgroup
> Tools, conventional email, sneaker-net, hard copy? Do all the resources
> have MS Project installed on their workstations or do they view the plan on
> the Server through Web Access? If neither at present, is it cost effective
> for you to deploy Project Server or buy licenses for the Project desktop for
> each user?
>
> Just brainstorming some points necessary for a technical answer and some
> other points you should be thinking about before going ahead, whether
> they're actual newsgroup technical issues about the *how* to do it that we
> can assist you with or not ...
>
> I was trying to explore the potential negative ramifications of doing it a
> little before getting into any details so that you could be sure you really
> wanted to go forward with the idea. The shortest and simplest answer to
> your question is you buy licenses for MS Project for all of the resource's
> workstations, put the project file on a shared folder they all have access
> to, tell them the filename, and let them have at it. Not the wisest move,
> but it'll work. The cheapest way is to print out the Gantt chart, post it
> on the bulletin board, let them write in their names next to the tasks they
> want to work on, and after the bid period closes you update the plan with
> their preferences and assign any remaining unclaimed tasks to the slackers.
> That too answers your question and will work but whether you would want to
> do it that way is another matter.
>
> Other considerations ... if they all have or will get MS Project and
> directly access the plan file, is the project file in a shared location that
> all the resources have write access to? Are you aware that access to the
> plan itself is an all or nothing deal and if resources can change resource
> names or individual task assignments to substitute themselves for the
> generic resources they can also see information such as salaries and other
> cost data that might be considered proprietary or confidential and is that
> acceptable to you? If they can assign themselves to tasks they can also add
> or delete tasks and reschedule the other resources as well - is that
> acceptable? How do you plan to control the possible resulting scope creep
> and insure out-of-scope work is not introduced into the plan? If the
> generic resource Engineer is assigned to tasks A, B, and C and Joe Engineer
> wants to pick up A but not B or C do you want him to do it or must he take
> all or nothing? How do you plan to resolve resource conflicts where Joe
> picking up task A makes him unavailable for more critical task X where's
> he's the only one with the skills to do it? What about resource leveling in
> the event Joe taking task A causes a resource overallocation to exist with
> him or other resources on other tasks in the plan? What if that leveling
> causes the schedule to extend, is that acceptable? Should the
> self-assignment require approval before it's accepted as part of the plan?
> How will you insure that all tasks are eventually picked up by resources -
> how will you monitor to make sure no tasks remain unclaimed? Suppose some
> of your resources "hog" the desirable tasks, how will you control that? Do
> you have a seniority heirarchy that needs to be taken into account? What
> about collective bargaining agreements - any chance self assignment will
> trigger a contract provision or grievance somewhere down the line?
>
> The point is that just because something is technically possible to do
> doesn't mean it should be done that way. Unlike many of the purely software
> support groups, most of us assisting here try to simultaneously discuss both
> the technical issues and the strategic/tactical issues involved in using MS
> Project. How to make text bold in MS Word is pretty straightforward and
> doesn't usually have any impact on the validity of the output but how to
> properly assign resources in MS Project involves a lot more consideration
> than simply how to work the software.
>
> --
> Steve House [MVP]
> MS Project Trainer & Consultant
> Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs
>
>
>
> "Howard Alsdorf" <HowardAlsdorf@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:EAE460F5-BEFD-46CA-9B4A-446E042F3837@microsoft.com...
> > Steve,
> >
> > Thank you for the information, but this does not answer my question.
> >
> > Howard
> >
> > "Steve House [MVP]" wrote:
> >
> >> How can you insure the resources doing the tasks are the best fit for the
> >> work at hand? As the project manager you need to have the responsibilty
> >> for
> >> who does what - in the project, you're the boss and it's your neck that's
> >> on
> >> the line if tasks aren't done on time or by the resources capable of
> >> delivering the work at the appropriate quality. Personally I'd strongly
> >> suggest you not allow the resources quite that much autonomy. The
> >> details
> >> of *how* the work is done, yes - they and their supervisors are the best
> >> qualified to judge that. How they organize their own workday
> >> hour-by-hour,
> >> by all means. But analyzing the skills that will be required to complete
> >> the tasks and then identifying, selecting, and assigning the resources
> >> who
> >> have the required skill sets is absolutely the project manager's
> >> responsibility and should not be handed off to anyone.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Steve House [MVP]
> >> MS Project Trainer & Consultant
> >> Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs
> >>
> >>
> >> "Howard Alsdorf" <Howard Alsdorf@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> >> message
> >> news:6E04CB7F-9B39-4A05-85EC-9B46249B6D55@microsoft.com...
> >> >I have an extremely large project containing a large number of tasks -
> >> >the
> >> > tasks are currently assigned to generic resources. I'd like to know if
> >> > there
> >> > is a way to allow actual resources to view the available tasks (task
> >> > queue)
> >> > and assign tasks to themselves.
> >>
> >>
>
>

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