What is the best way to model Variable Resource Allocations across time ?

[RedHead]

I would like to set the max units and assignments units based on
specific time intervals (i.e. 50% for Oct & Nov, 60% for Dec & Jan, 70%
for Feb & March, etc.... and so on.

I know on the resource usage view the resource availability from/to can
be entered. However, that is simply the max units the resource is
available during the intervals. However, this does not dynamically
make the resource assignment units match the max units during those
intervals.

The only way I see to accomplish this is to create a calendar with only
50%, 60%, 70% etc. available during those months and apply it as the
base calendar for the appropriate resources for which I want this to
apply.

I would think this would be fundamental capability of Project ? but
either it is not or I don't know how to do it.

Any advice would be apprepricated.

 

[John]

I would like to set the max units and assignments units based on
specific time intervals (i.e. 50% for Oct & Nov, 60% for Dec & Jan, 70%
for Feb & March, etc.... and so on.

I know on the resource usage view the resource availability from/to can
be entered. However, that is simply the max units the resource is
available during the intervals. However, this does not dynamically
make the resource assignment units match the max units during those
intervals.

The only way I see to accomplish this is to create a calendar with only
50%, 60%, 70% etc. available during those months and apply it as the
base calendar for the appropriate resources for which I want this to
apply.

I would think this would be fundamental capability of Project ? but
either it is not or I don't know how to do it.

Any advice would be apprepricated.

RedHead,
What you really want is called work contour. Project has a set of
built-in contours, (e.g. bell shape, front loaded, back loaded, etc.),
that can be applied to resource assignments. You can learn more about
work contouring in the Project Help file. One easy way to get a quick
overview is to add the Work Contour field as a column to the Resource
Usage view and then hover the mouse over the column heading. A link to
the help topic will pop up.

If none of the built-in contours meet your needs, you can always
customize the contour by manually entering the work hours on one of the
Usage views.

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP

 

[JulieS]

Hi ReadHead,

Adding on to John's valuable comments:

You can contour a resource's maximum units over time as you suggest. Double
click on a resource's name to show the Resource Information dialog box. On
the general tab under Resource Availability you can set Max. Units for the
resource by date. In your example, the rows would be:

First row:
Available From: NA
Available to: 30 Nov.
Units: 50%

Second Row:
Available From: 1 Dec.
Available to: 31 Jan
Units 60%

and so on.

If you contour the resource's max. units *before* you assign the resource to
tasks, Project will be default assign at the max. units for that period. If
you change max. units *after* assigning resources, Project will not change
the assignment units and you will need to fix the issue yourself.

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

Julie

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

You will notice there are schools of thought on this.
My opinion is that your approach is by far the best.
Modeling the calendar and only using 100% assignments will make a perfect
fit, also or especially when yoiu use resoruce leveling.
HTH

 

[RedHead]

Thanks for the responses and sorry for the double post. I never saw my
original post in the group so I posted again this morning. I am using
the automation layer to read from an existing change request,
requirement item, etc. tracking system, so the items automatically get
assigned prior to me setting the availabilty and assignment units.

I will also take a look at the work contouring to accomplish what I am
trying to do.

Right now I seem to get the most predictable results after leveling
when I simply create a base calendar(s) and applied them appropriately.
The only problem with this is that work does not get scheduled on the
days or partial days that I remove from the calendar as non-working
times. This is problematic for the resources peforming the work
because that will not have work schedule, let's say on Fridays because
I removed them from the calendar, etc. when they are actually working

 

[JulieS]

Hi RedHead,

Glad you found the original post.

As to the issue of resource who may work on a day marked as non-working
time in their calendar, they should still be able to record actual work
against those days and Project will decrease the amount of work on
following days.

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

Julie
Project MVP

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