How can I track weighted future project needs?

[BrianV11]

I need to project resource needs and would like to weight future projects
based upon their probability of closing (the sale). I have already created a
consolidated project comprised of these potential future projects.

 

[JulieS]

I need to project resource needs and would like to weight future
projects
based upon their probability of closing (the sale). I have already
created a
consolidated project comprised of these potential future projects.

Hello BrianV11,

If you have assigned resources to the tasks in your subprojects, you
could use Resource Leveling paired with either task priority or
Project priority. I am guessing that Project priority would more
likely apply as I assume it would be an "all or nothing" situation --
if you do not close the sale, you would not worry about any of the
tasks in the project. Project priority is set in the Project >
Project information dialog box.

When using Resource Leveling, make sure to set the leveling order to
"Priority, Standard."

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information
about Microsoft Project

 

[BrianV11]

Thanks for the response. I don't know that it is appropriate for what I am
trying to achieve, though.

I should clarify:
I have a number of potential projects (opportunities) that the sales reps
have given a weighted value of closing (for example, 75% likely to close). I
have a finite number of human resources, each with specific skill sets. I
would like to view using something like Resource Usage with the values of
work weighted on the likelihood of the project closing. This would allow me
to understand that I would need to bring on additional resources with a
particular skillset to address probable future needs.

This same consolidated project file is tracking my actual projects, as well.

 

[JulieS]

Hello Brian,

Hmmm. I guess I am having some difficulty with the idea of "values of
work being weighted". Do you want to see the amount of work on a task
changed by the probability of closing the sale?

It's likely that I am just being particularly dense today and that's
why I'm having difficulty picturing what you need. My assumption is
that you create "tentative" project plans (high level) with tasks and
assignment estimates for the potential projects. You can then look at
the Resource Usage view to see the potential overlap of the assignment
work. However, I would image it is an issue of entire assignments
going away, not just the amount of work on the assignment changing
that would be an issue.

Unfortunately, assignment custom fields cannot be populated through
formulas, so the best I can suggest would be to code in some manner
the different assignments and then try a custom group of the Resource
Usage view to group first by resource and then by the differing
weights on the assignments.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information
about Microsoft Project

 

[BrianV11]

You are indeed correct that I needed to weight the work of each task based
upon the probability of the project closing. This would allow me to view
potential overallocations and guage the need to acquire additional employees.

It sounds like there is no functionality in the product from your response.
I am really trying to avoid having to manually adjust every task should the
probability of close change.

Many thanks for your insight.

 

[JulieS]

You're welcome Brian and thanks for the feedback. I think we are
talking around one another a bit, so I'll try clarifying my thoughts a
bit more.

I think what you want is possible through Project, perhaps just not in
the way you envisioned. For potential projects, I would create high
level project plans (one for each possible project) with anticipated
project start dates and some high level planning drafting out tasks
and resource assignments. This would allow you to view possible
overlaps between current projects and potential new projects. If
conflicts are noted, you could also have some better high level
planning about when the new project *could* be slotted in to the
overall work load without having to hire new employees.

The idea of having multiple tasks representing multiple projects
(versus just adjusting overall work on a task) I think gives more
flexibility. As your sales team gets closer to closing the sale, you
can adjust the anticipated start date of the potential project and see
that impact. If the project isn't sold, simply remove the project
file from the master project instead of re-adjusting the weighting
scale again.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information
about Microsoft Project

 

[Jim Aksel]

Brian, might you be able to do this--

Use Julie's suggestion of the customized group by... now your projects are
grouped together by probability of close. That part is for grouping.

If I read these posts correctly, I think you want something like this:

Joe is assigned to three identical tasks, one in each of three projects.
Let's say it is 40 hours/task. So if all three contracts are awarded you
need 3 of Joe. However, I think you are looking for something like this.

Project A 100% probability of award, Project B 50% probability, Project C
25% probability. So, you want to show "Joe" as 1.0*40 + 0.5*40 + 0.25*40 =
70 Hours.

I would insert two number columns (Number1 and Number2) into the Resource
Usage View. Number1 becomes your Probability and would have to be manually
entered for each task (sorry). That probability would change as the sales
force tells you. Number2 becomes a formula Number2=Number1*[Work].

Now, Number2 gives you a total amount of Work for Joe that is weighted by
the probability of a sale closing. Set the calculations of the formala to
sum the subordinate tasks at the summary line.

Perhaps that will help, when used in combination with Julie's suggestion to
use GroupBy. My experience tells me that Management will be reluctant to
hire based on sales force projections. They will hire based on work in hand.
What we do here is automatically delay the start of any unstaffed activities
by 9 weeks ARO to allow time to obtian resources.


--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

 

[JulieS]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the idea. Sadly (at least using Project 2003) you can't
write formulas for the assignment row only on the resource row, so you
can't calculate the weighed work per assignment. I didn't check 2007,
but unless I am missing something, it's not possible with 2003.


Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information
about Microsoft Project

Brian, might you be able to do this--

Use Julie's suggestion of the customized group by... now your
projects are
grouped together by probability of close. That part is for
grouping.

If I read these posts correctly, I think you want something like
this:

Joe is assigned to three identical tasks, one in each of three
projects.
Let's say it is 40 hours/task. So if all three contracts are
awarded you
need 3 of Joe. However, I think you are looking for something like
this.

Project A 100% probability of award, Project B 50% probability,
Project C
25% probability. So, you want to show "Joe" as 1.0*40 + 0.5*40 +
0.25*40 =
70 Hours.

I would insert two number columns (Number1 and Number2) into the
Resource
Usage View. Number1 becomes your Probability and would have to be
manually
entered for each task (sorry). That probability would change as the
sales
force tells you. Number2 becomes a formula
Number2=Number1*[Work].

Now, Number2 gives you a total amount of Work for Joe that is
weighted by
the probability of a sale closing. Set the calculations of the
formala to
sum the subordinate tasks at the summary line.

Perhaps that will help, when used in combination with Julie's
suggestion to
use GroupBy. My experience tells me that Management will be
reluctant to
hire based on sales force projections. They will hire based on work
in hand.
What we do here is automatically delay the start of any unstaffed
activities
by 9 weeks ARO to allow time to obtian resources.


--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

You're welcome Brian and thanks for the feedback. I think we are
talking around one another a bit, so I'll try clarifying my
thoughts a
bit more.

I think what you want is possible through Project, perhaps just not
in
the way you envisioned. For potential projects, I would create
high
level project plans (one for each possible project) with
anticipated
project start dates and some high level planning drafting out tasks
and resource assignments. This would allow you to view possible
overlaps between current projects and potential new projects. If
conflicts are noted, you could also have some better high level
planning about when the new project *could* be slotted in to the
overall work load without having to hire new employees.

The idea of having multiple tasks representing multiple projects
(versus just adjusting overall work on a task) I think gives more
flexibility. As your sales team gets closer to closing the sale,
you
can adjust the anticipated start date of the potential project and
see
that impact. If the project isn't sold, simply remove the project
file from the master project instead of re-adjusting the weighting
scale again.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional
information
about Microsoft Project

 

[BrianV11]

Thanksl, Jim. That is what I am looking to do. I am now using Project 2007.
I will try to see if that is something a newbie like me can handle. Thanks!

Brian, might you be able to do this--

Use Julie's suggestion of the customized group by... now your projects are
grouped together by probability of close. That part is for grouping.

If I read these posts correctly, I think you want something like this:

Joe is assigned to three identical tasks, one in each of three projects.
Let's say it is 40 hours/task. So if all three contracts are awarded you
need 3 of Joe. However, I think you are looking for something like this.

Project A 100% probability of award, Project B 50% probability, Project C
25% probability. So, you want to show "Joe" as 1.0*40 + 0.5*40 + 0.25*40 =
70 Hours.

I would insert two number columns (Number1 and Number2) into the Resource
Usage View. Number1 becomes your Probability and would have to be manually
entered for each task (sorry). That probability would change as the sales
force tells you. Number2 becomes a formula Number2=Number1*[Work].

Now, Number2 gives you a total amount of Work for Joe that is weighted by
the probability of a sale closing. Set the calculations of the formala to
sum the subordinate tasks at the summary line.

Perhaps that will help, when used in combination with Julie's suggestion to
use GroupBy. My experience tells me that Management will be reluctant to
hire based on sales force projections. They will hire based on work in hand.
What we do here is automatically delay the start of any unstaffed activities
by 9 weeks ARO to allow time to obtian resources.


--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

You're welcome Brian and thanks for the feedback. I think we are
talking around one another a bit, so I'll try clarifying my thoughts a
bit more.

I think what you want is possible through Project, perhaps just not in
the way you envisioned. For potential projects, I would create high
level project plans (one for each possible project) with anticipated
project start dates and some high level planning drafting out tasks
and resource assignments. This would allow you to view possible
overlaps between current projects and potential new projects. If
conflicts are noted, you could also have some better high level
planning about when the new project *could* be slotted in to the
overall work load without having to hire new employees.

The idea of having multiple tasks representing multiple projects
(versus just adjusting overall work on a task) I think gives more
flexibility. As your sales team gets closer to closing the sale, you
can adjust the anticipated start date of the potential project and see
that impact. If the project isn't sold, simply remove the project
file from the master project instead of re-adjusting the weighting
scale again.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information
about Microsoft Project