Resource allocation

[rooster99]

Is it best to define resource by role or by individual person? I have a
number of tasks which are essentially project management but are being
carried out by different people, some of them solution architects. These
people have different global cost rates. Or is it possible to assign a
cost to an individual task? I need to be able to track how many project
management or solution architect activity days I've used as these are
defined in the contract and the costs then won't match.
Or am I just thinking too deeply about this ;-)

Many thanks,
R

 

[Sai]

Is it best to define resource by role or by individual person? I have a
number of tasks which are essentially project management but are being
carried out by different people, some of them solution architects. These
people have different global cost rates. Or is it possible to assign a
cost to an individual task? I need to be able to track how many project
management or solution architect activity days I've used as these are
defined in the contract and the costs then won't match.
Or am I just thinking too deeply about this ;-)

Many thanks,
R

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I see you have 2 critical requirements - "cost rates of solution
architects can vary" and "you need to know how many solution architect
activity days I've used".

I can provide you three options with its pros and cons
1. Individual resources - Add the resource details in Resource sheet
for each team member
Pros: (1) Working time of each resource can be different (2) Cost
rates of each resource can be different
Cons: (1) Huge list of resource names (2) You can effectively
categorize the resources by skillset (but still can do it by adding
custom fields)

2. Group resources - For each role, define one resource in resource
sheet, but with Max Units reflecting the number of resources with that
role
Pros: (1) Small list of resources
Cons: (1) Working time can be set at role level, and not at individual
resources (2) For each role, the cost rate should be constant

3. Cost resources - You can go with (1) and (2), but don't define the
cost of the resources at resource level. Instead, create a Cost
resource (if you are using Project 2007) or insert a field "Fixed
cost" in Gantt chart to enter the cost
Pros: (1) Simple, if the cost is not dependent on time or number of
resources
Cons: (1) Cost resource and fixed cost is provided to enter cost that
doesn't vary over time

Please let us know if this helps

- Sai, PMP, PMI-SP, MCT, MCTS
http://saipower.wordpress.com

 

[rooster99]

Individual people.
After all it's ultimately individual people who do the work and repor
the
progress.
Maybe start somewhat generic when roughing out the plan, but replace a
some
point asap with real people to finish off.
I would, if necessary sometimes, go further.
Same guy might cost different rates on different tasks.
It would be unusual and maybe a bit too complicated, but special cas
ok and
I have done it to get the result I need.
eg, a resources named:
Bob when he does task 123, $50/hour
Bob when he does task 456, $60/hour

You can always group them or categorise with a spare text field an
group
and sub-total on that field.
Hanging onto generic roles rather than just creating more resources ca
lead
to further necessity for clunky workarounds.
--
Trevor Rabey
0407213955
61 8 92727485
PERFECT PROJECT PLANNING
www.perfectproject.com.au

[/QUOTE]

Thanks Trevor,
But how do you set different rates for Bob for different tasks, as
find the cost isn't editable. Do I maybe not set a global rate for him?

 

[Steve House]

That's what the Cost Rate Tables in the Resource Information screen are
about. Bob has a number of skills, lets say he can work as both a
pipefitter and an electrician and is a member in good standing of both
unions so he can be assigned either type of work. Electricians get $50 per
hour, pipefitters get $60. Enter $50 as the Standard Rate on Rate Table A
and $60 as the Standard Rate on Rate Table B. Whenver you assign Bob to a
task, his rate defaults to that listed in Table A. If this particular task
is electrical work you're set. But if it's pipefitting work, use the
Assignment Information in one of the Usage views to change the governing
table from A to B.
--
Steve House
MS Project Trainer & Consultant



Thanks Trevor,
But how do you set different rates for Bob for different tasks, as I
find the cost isn't editable. Do I maybe not set a global rate for him?

R


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[/QUOTE]