When not to use Project?

[Lars Hallin]

Hi All,

I wonder if there is any kind of project where MSP can't do the job? As an
example, if I run an IT project to develop a new system and the process of
development requires several iterations of build-test-review, how many I
don't know when I start. Or if I know from the start that the outcome of
each task (or group of tasks), like for example outcome of a test, may
result in having to take an alternate path of action.

Grateful for all kinds of input!

Cheers
Lars

 

[Rod Gill]

Project's only limitation is for large projects where two or more project
schedulers need to simultaneously edit the same file. However even this
limitation can be managed by breaking a large schedule into several smaller
sub-schedules, each managed by one person.

Iterative scheduling still requires predicting what each iteration must
achieve and its deliverables etc. Schedules also need to be live: updated
and revised as the project progresses so it can be used as an effective
communication tool.

 

[davegb]

Hi All,

I wonder if there is any kind of project where MSP can't do the job? As an
example, if I run an IT project to develop a new system and the process of
development requires several iterations of build-test-review, how many I
don't know when I start. Or if I know from the start that the outcome of
each task (or group of tasks), like for example outcome of a test, may
result in having to take an alternate path of action.

Grateful for all kinds of input!

Cheers
Lars

I believe Project can handle both of those scenarios. For development
projects, you need to estimate a "typical" number of iterations and
their most probable durations, then add "buffers" wherever you think
most appropriate.

As for phased projects, like R&D projects, you do a detailed schedule
out to the next major decision point/milestone. Beyond that, you can
have nothing or just a single task representing each of the major
phases. As you complete the current phase and the decisions are made,
you do a detailed schedule for the next phase. It's call "Rolling Wave"
scheduling.

Hope this helps in your world.

 

[Trevor Rabey]

Although it is possible to start a project in which you are not sure what
you will need to do or how long it would take, or how many times you will
have to repeat some parts of it, etc, assuming there is someone who would
finance such a game of roulette,

...it is not possible to model it as a project plan in MSP, if there is no
plan or nothing to build one on.
Any kind of productive use of MSP forces you to figure out what you need to
do etc, imposing certainty on uncertainty.
If you are insisting on retaining uncertainty, then you don't need MSP, but
then you aren't doing project management either.

MSP does not have conditional branching but nothing prevents you from
modeling alternative scenarios to see where they end up.
Having back-up plans up your sleeve is good PM.

 

[davegb]

Although it is possible to start a project in which you are not sure what
you will need to do or how long it would take, or how many times you will
have to repeat some parts of it, etc, assuming there is someone who would
finance such a game of roulette,

They're called pharmaceuticals, R&D firms, car companies, venture
capitalists, etc.

..it is not possible to model it as a project plan in MSP, if there is no
plan or nothing to build one on.

See my comment above, Trevor. It's not a problem at all.

Any kind of productive use of MSP forces you to figure out what you need to
do etc, imposing certainty on uncertainty.
If you are insisting on retaining uncertainty, then you don't need MSP, but
then you aren't doing project management either.

I don't think that the people doing the kinds of projects I mentioned
above would agree with you.