Changing Resource % mid project.

[SteveA]

I am reviewing a project and trying to reduce the over allocation
present. In many cases I was able to identify a task as the only task
possible to work on(ie travel nec.) and was able to split another task
accordingly. Unfortunately, that won't work when a new task is
assigned and can be worked concurrently. How do I adjust the 100% to
50% mid task so that both tasks are worked without resource over
allocation?

Please ask if I can provide more information.

Thanks in Advance.

v/r
Steve A.

 

[SpiroT]

You should be able to just change it in the assign resource window. If the
task is 50% complete, it won't affect your progress/ actuals that you've
reported on.

 

[SteveA]

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately, that will not work, because
the task that I would like to change has not started yet. Both tasks
start in the future.

Thanks again.

v/r
Steve A.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Why not leave the tasks to 100% and let the resource work them in sequence?

 

[SteveA]

Thanks for the response.

Both tasks involve waiting for responses and following up on responses
from resources outside of the company. There will be down time, and if
the tasks were done in sequence the resource would be under allocated.

Thanks.

v/r
SteveA.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Steve,

Funny tasks you have!
They can only be worked on 50% but that only from a certain date; the same
date that by chance or bad luck another task starts.
I know I'm up against most of the PM community, but I don't like people
being cut into halves.
That's why I dare insist. Why exactly does it have to be 50%.
If your latest statement is the reason, then the assignment unit MUST be 50%
from the beginning of the task, because people have to wait for things all
of the time.
But if that isn't the reason, if the reason is risk of overloading, the
assignment units should be 100% and the tasks done in sequence.

Not that Project can't handle it, go to Task usage and contour your
asignment the way you want it... but don't feel frustrated for calculating
manually what Project's leveling could do for you, that is provide a
solution for overallocations.

My experience is that (far too) many customers use % allocation just for
that reason... they WANT to calculate everything manually...

Hope this helps,

 

[Steve House [Project MVP]]

There are several things to think about here.

First of all, you need to make sure it is even *possible* to arbitrarily
change the resource allocation like you want to show in the plan. The
nature of the work itself has to enter the picture.

You mention that these "tasks" involve waiting for responses. IMHO, those
are not tasks at all and should NOT be entered as such in the plan. A task
is, by definition, an activity, usually physical, producing a deliverable.
Waiting is again by definition, non-activity. If I submit a proposal and
have to wait two weeks for a response, the wait itself is not a task
requiring my presence and effort. Instead it is a two week lag time in the
link leading from the task "Submit Proposal" to the milestone "Approval
Received" requiring no attention or effort on my part and I'm completely
free to do other things during that time period. If you show it as a task
assigned to a resource it means work is being performed on it consuming the
resource's energy and the cost of that work is included in your budget.