two modeling questions

[Y]

Hi,

I wonder how to model the following two problems in MS Project?

1. Simultaneous resource assignments require more than one
resources to be available and work on an task at the same
time. The resources may have different
calendars/availability but need to have the same work
contour on the task.

2. Constrain two tasks start at the same time. But it seems
Project does not allow either
P -> S and S -> P or,
P -> S and P -> S.

Thanks.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Y,

You hit my two major problems with MSP in one post.
Neither of these two is possible.
No need to convince me these are important, they have been in my Wish list
for MS Project for quite some time now.

HTH

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
Project Management Consultancy
Prom+ade BVBA
32-495-300 620

 

[Steve House]

Number two is sort of possible. You can use a start to start link between
the two tasks, let's say S1 and S2 with S1 a sucessor to predecessor P, your
links could be:

P->S1 FS
S1->S2 SS

That sets S2 to start no earlier than the start of S1 (unless you override
it with a lead time) however it breaks down somewhat as there is no way to
insure that S2 doesn't get moved to start later than S1, for example through
the action of resource leveling or due to the lack of resource availability.

You could also approximate the desired behavior by creating a summary task,
SUM, that is the successor to your predecessor task. It would have S1 and
S2 as subtasks without any links between them or leading directly to or from
them. Again though, that doesn't create an absolute lock between them.