Re: Task Queues
From: Steve House [MVP] (sjhouse.remove.this_at_to.send.hotmail.com)
Date: 02/02/05
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Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2005 15:38:28 -0500
Excellent! - the business implications of process decisions like that are
always best answered by someone who is intimately familiar with your current
business processes and can give you educated advice based on that in-depth
knowledge. The best we can do at a distance is generic discussions of
recommended best practices.
-- 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:A9D0CEC1-DB13-45D0-8AD2-58577D65A0E3@microsoft.com... > 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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- In reply to: Howard Alsdorf: "Re: Task Queues"
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