Asigning multiple resources with delay

[batusek]

The question I have is quite common and appears in many variations on
the internet, but I've never seen a satisfying answer. It must be
something inherent in MS Project.

Imagine I have two tasks:

Design (estimated to 5 days of work)
Coding (estimated to 10 days of work)

I have two developers: Bob and Dave. I want Dave to start coding
immediately. I want Bob to make the design first and when he is
finished, to join Dave for coding and let them finish the task
together.

So I create two tasks in MS Project, let them be Fixed work (or
effort-driven fixed units), enter the right durations. I create two
resources, both available for 100%. Then I assign Bob to Design and
Dave to Coding. Up to now, everything is OK and the Gantt chart is
correct.

Now, when I assign Bob to Coding, the task duration shrinks to 5 days,
but Bob is overallocated for the first 5 days, which is undesirable.
So, I move his start on the task by 5 days. (right click in the Task
form-> Resource Schedule-> increment Delay). Bob's work is really moved
by 5 days and the task duration is now again 10 days.

BUT, that's not what I wanted. I wanted Bob and Dave working together
at the task starting from the 6th day and finishing the job as early as
possible, i.e. in 7.5 days.

I was not able to do this anyhow in MS Project. To avoid any simple
answer I will summarize here, what doesn't work:

1. Resource leveling - this just does the same as setting start date
manually - moves Bob's work by 5 days
2. Setting Bob's delay immediately at assignment - the same effect
3. Changing task type - at least I didn't find any setting that fits my
needs.

It seems to me that anyone working with MS Project for more than 1 hour
had to face this problem, since this occurs if:
- a resource has holidays (task is not finished until he returns)
- in various combinations of part time working resources, if their
"part" are not available for the whole task durations
- etc.

If anyone can help me with this question, I would be very grateful.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

This is easy to schedule in Project (for instance usiong leveling) as long
as you tell Project the split 7,5 - 2,5 in work on task coding.
Project will never split work on a task between resources like that, sorry.
HTH

 

[Haris Rashid]

In MS Project use the Resource Schedule View. This view lets you define the
dates when the resources start work on the tasks. In your scenario simply
define the date (5th day) when Bob joins Dave in coding.

Secondly you need to take into account the work involved. When Bob joins
Dave how much work would have been completed. Then define how they will share
the work, i.e., from 5th day onward how much work is allocated to Bob.

If Dave has to do 60h and Bob 20h then you will get the schedule
automatically calculated by MS project as 7.5 days. This considers that when
Bob joined Dave, Dave had done 50% of the work and the remaining was shared
50% each.

Kind regards,

 

[batusek]

If Dave has to do 60h and Bob 20h then you will get the schedule
automatically calculated by MS project as 7.5 days. This considers that when
Bob joined Dave, Dave had done 50% of the work and the remaining was shared
50% each.

Thank you both for the answer. I've been expecting something like this,
but at the same time I am very dissapointed. Of course I am able to
figure out the precise amount of work in this simple artifitial
example, but imagine, for instance, tasks like "Bugfixing", where 5 or
more developers are involved. This will be a nightmare.

But, now I understand that if I use resource leveling and specify the
amount of work precisely, Project will make some calculations for me.
Not perfect, but it is at least something.

I am still trying to find some ways of fully automatic assignment. For
example, wouldn't it be possible to make a group of resources, say
"Developers" with two members Bob and Dave and assign the two tasks to
the group? (I know nearly nothing about resource groups in MS Project,
so please correct me if I am totally wrong.)

Or, isn't it possible to prepare a macro that makes the desired
calculations for me?

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

I'm afraid you know ALL about resoruce groups in assigning, because there is
nothing, sorry :-(
And automatic splitting of work between resources isn't there, sorry
again:-(

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Haris,

You can assign a group of resources like Developers, or you can assign an
individual like Fred. But you can't assign both in the same project.
Assigning the group works fine, but it is up to local management to assign
the individuals withing the group, as Project cannot possibly know which one
should to the job.


Mike Glen
Project MVP