set up a project management task, that automatically extends

[HarryPMP]

I would like to set up a task for project management, that automalically
expands or contracts in duration and work, based on the lenth of the project.


For example, if my project started on a monday, and ended on a friday, the
PM task would be 5 days and 40 hours. Then if the project duration
increased, the PM task would automatically increase, ie if another day was
added, my PM task would be 6 days and 48 hours.

I have tried linking the PM Task in a number of ways, changing task type,
but I have not been able get this done.

The reason I am doing this, is that I want to allocate PM time, 8 hours per
day, for the length of the project, and not have to go back each time I
update the plan.

TIA

Harry R. Alexander, PMP

 

[JulieD]

Hi Harry

check out
http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm

#19 - Hammock tasks
i think this could be what you're after

Cheers
JulieD

 

[HarryPMP]

Thanks J, seems to do the trick.

Hi Harry

check out
http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm

#19 - Hammock tasks
i think this could be what you're after

Cheers
JulieD

 

[JulieD]

You're welcome and thanks for the feedback

Thanks J, seems to do the trick.

 

[Richard]

Have you considered just adding the PM as the resource for the highest level
task in the project?

 

[Steve House [MVP]]

The highest level task might not extend for the full duration of the
project, for one thing. Secondly, summary tasks should describe phases and
deliverables and each of their subtasks the activity done by a resource in
achieving it. Different activities mean different tasks and the activity of
doing the work of a plumber is quite different from the activity of
scheduling that plumber. Lumping the project manager's activity into
whatever that top level task might be will obscure the nature of the work.
Thirdly, the Project Summary Task is a zero'th level rollup for reporting
purposes. And finally, one should never, ever assign resources to summary
tasks - I still find it surprising the Project even allows it at all. The
best way to show the PM's work is to insert a conventional work-package task
named Project Management that gets its start and finish information from the
project start and finish milestones via OLE links (that's what a hammock
task does) and assign the PM to it as the resource at whatever units
represent the average amount of time it is expected to consume from his
workday.

 

[HarryPMP]

The hammock task works well for what I am doing, which is part of a vendor
evaluation effort - Multiple vendors with different features dictate what
features we need to build (between 70-95 features), each of them a mini
project ranging from 300-10,000 hours. After narrowing the vendors, as you
can imagine a lot of revision, juggling etc.

WRT the resource name in a high level task, it is only a comment field from
what I can tell. I have used it to track which project manager is
responsible for the project, in a multi-project plan. (that way you do not
have to expand the tasks and hunt for the pm)