task with multiple resources

[Barb Van Horn]

I am sure this is some funny quirk of Project that I just
haven't figure out yet, but I can't seem to get the
duration to fit the hours when I have multiple resources
assigned to a single task.

The example task is 40 hours which is neatly divisible by
8 hours (our working day). This is a fixed work task with
2 resources. When I split them 50/50 it is a nice round 5
days. When I split them 60/40, it goes up to 6.25 days.

Can anyone explain why? And can someone tell me how to
correctly split this up so that it still takes 5 days but
relects that resource 1 will do more of the work?

Thanks in advance for the assistance.

 

[Rob Schneider]

I am sure this is some funny quirk of Project that I just
haven't figure out yet, but I can't seem to get the
duration to fit the hours when I have multiple resources
assigned to a single task.

The example task is 40 hours which is neatly divisible by
8 hours (our working day). This is a fixed work task with
2 resources. When I split them 50/50 it is a nice round 5
days. When I split them 60/40, it goes up to 6.25 days.

Can anyone explain why? And can someone tell me how to
correctly split this up so that it still takes 5 days but
relects that resource 1 will do more of the work?

Thanks in advance for the assistance.

Barb,

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "split 50/50" and "split 60/40".

If I make a Task with the following properties:

name: Task A
Type: Fixed Duration 40 hours (as you described)
Effort Driven: No

then assign
Person A: 2.5 days work, results in 1/2 time through week,
Person B: 2.5 days work, results in 1/2 time through week.

it works as you like.

Could have done:

Person A: 3 days work, results in .60 unit through week,
Person B: 2 days work, rseults in .40 unit through week.

The above distributes at what I would call 60/40, but this may not be
what you mean.

I think you need to clarify in your mind if you are dealing with a 40
hour "fixed duration" task, or a 40 hour "fixed work" task which just
happens to take 40 hours duration due to he assigned resources.

Remember the "project triangle".

 

[Barb Van Horn]

This actually makes perfect sense! However, I don't know
how to assign work hours to a resource without setting up
an individual task for each resource. Is that what I need
to do?

So the example below would become:
TaskName: Design
(Rollup) Work : 40 hours
TaskName:Functional Design
Work : 24 hours
TaskName:Technical Design
Work : 16 hours

I tested this and it works, but this will triple the
number of tasks in the design work plan which is already
huge since over 400 modifications are being tracked. Is
there any other way to do it using just the resource
assignments without adding additional tasks?

Thanks, you have been extremely helpful in this so far. I
really appreciate it.

 

[Steve House]

Adding a bit more - the best way to do this may in fact be to bite the
bullet and create individual tasks. The way I teach it is if the same skill
set, whether one or a more individuals, does the task then one tasl is fine.
But if it's more than one skill set, then splitting it up into the
individual compnents is the way to go. If I need to pain a room and the
painter is going to prep the walls, remove the attached wall fixtures like
blackboards etc, mix the pain and apply it, then one task "paint the room"
assigned to the painters is fine. But if a psychologist mixes just the
right colour, and a crew of labourers comes in to move out the furniture and
the carpenter's union contract says they have be called in to remove the
fixtures fastened to the wall and the painter will be applying the paint,
then a summary task "paint the room" with all the component subtasks broken
out is called for.

 

[Barb Van Horn]

Okay, I got it. I was unable to locate the "work" when
you simply double click on the task and add a resource.
When using the split screen the "work" field comes up and
works like a charm.

Thanks so much for your guidence.

 

[Ed Kilner]

Actually, one task per resource makes a great lot of sense, especially for a
beginner and especially if resource loading is anticipated. Lots of times it
is easy to see what happens to one resource after resource leveling delays
the task. No, you don't have to do it this way, but it sure helps,
especially on poorly structured plans which are made by many beginners.

Productivity killer? Just create a keystroke macro to make a summary task
and two detail tasks under it. Then, assign the resource to each detail
task. Works great.

--
Ed Kilner, P.Eng., PMP

(e-mail address removed) (416) 822-4835

Project Solutions Unlimited www.psu.ca