Creating Effort Driven Schedules

Creating Effort Driven Schedules

ObjectivesUnderstanding Your Job and the Tools JobUnderstanding Task TypesSix Steps to an Effort Driven Project Schedule

Understand Your Job, The Tools Job Project Leader’s Job

Determine the amount of work (effort) the task will take (according to a documented procedure, remember?)

Determine which resource to assign to the taskDetermine resource availability and calendar

adjustmentsDetermine Task DependenciesManage Resource Over-allocations

MS Project’s JobCalculate Duration of the Task Calculate Start and Finish DatesHelp Identify Resource Over-allocations

Duration=WorkUnits

Understand Task Types Fixed Unit Tasks

MS Project default, when effort driven scheduling is enabled Adding more resources makes task duration shorter Removing resources makes task duration longer

Fixed Work Tasks All tasks of this type are effort driven Tasks behave similarly to fixed unit tasks with regard to

adding and deleting resources Provides more flexibility than fixed unit tasks (IMHO)

Fixed Duration Tasks Not recommended for effort driven tasks Duration is kept constant when resources are added or

removed Work is added or removed when resources are added

Example 1

Purpose Illustrate task types Illustrate “The Rule”

Duration=WorkUnits

Show how “The Rule” can affect tracking

Example 1- Lessons Learned

Lessons LearnedTask Types are used to fix one of the variables in the equation:

Entering actual start and finish dates is equivalent to adjusting the task duration

Updating Task Actuals using the task form can give unreliable results*

Duration=WorkUnits

Six easy steps (42 substeps,19 caveats :)

Setup Tool Options and Project working times

Define Resources and their Working Times

Input the Work Breakdown Structure

Define Task Dependencies and Priorities

Assign Resources & Input Assignment Effort

Estimates

Let MS Project Calculate Dates and Durations

Effort Driven Schedules

Your Job

Tools Job

Step 1 - Set the Tool Options

Set Project Start Date Project Project Information

Project Information Dialog

Set Default Task Type to Fixed Work

Tools Options Schedule Tab

Tool Options Dialog

Set Project Working Time

Edit the project calendar to allow for non-productive time Use Non-working time to identify company holidays Use Non-default working time to allow for project overhead

Change Working Time Dialog

Set Project Working TimeTools Change Working Time

Set Project Working Time (cont.)When you adjust the project calendar, adjust the

calendar options accordingly

Tool Options Dialog

Set Duration Translations Tools Options Calendar Tab

Example 2 – Allowing for Overhead

Purpose Illustrate what happens when calendar option do

not align with the project calendar

Example 2 – Lessons Learned

Account for non-productive time by: adjusting the working times on the project’s standard

calendar and setting the calendar options accordingly

Recommend setting productive time to one of the following: 50% - 4 hours per day, 20 hrs per week 63% - 5 hours per day, 25 hours per week 75% - 6 hours per day, 30 hours per week

Step 2 – Define Your Resources

Define Resources View Resource Sheet

Resource Sheet View in MS Project

Enter Resource Names and Max Units on Resource Sheet

Max Units

Used by MS Project to identify resource over-allocations

Use Max Units to reflect the percentage of time a resource is assigned to your project

Max units field is not to be confused with the units field that is used for resource assignments

Dedicated = 100% Shared = some % varying availability

Adjust resource calendars to account for those people who do not work a standard week, or are

unavailableaffect how assignments are scheduled

Resource Availability

Use non working time for those out for full days

Use non default time those who work short days

Example 3 - Lessons Learned

Purpose Illustrate the use of Max units field Illustrate how the units field relates to Max units

field Illustrate how to use resources calendars

Example 3 - Lessons Learned

The Max Units field:should be used to designate what percentage of

time a resource is assigned to your project is used by MS Project to identify resource over

allocations Is not to be confused with the units field used for

resource assignments

Individual Resource calendars are used to:Adjust calendars for non-working times (i.e.

vacations) and non-standard working times (part time resources)

They are not meant to be used to help you track project actuals

Step 3 – Input the WBS

Set Details to Resource Work Format Details Resource Work

Use Task Entry View View More Views Task Entry

Task Entry View in MS Project

Step 4 - Task Dependencies & PrioritiesTask Dependencies

Describes how a task is related to the start or finish of another task

Recommend using finish to start dependencies primarily All tasks should have predecessors (apart from the first task) Do not set dependencies between summary tasks Can be used for resolving resource over-allocations (but not

recommended)

Step 5 – Assign ResourcesUse task form to assign resources, workload, and adjustments Duration= Work

Units

Task Entry View in MS Project

Step 6 – Calculate Date and Durations

Never enter in planned start dates. Doing so will create unwanted task constraints

Duration =Workload (Effort)

Units

Allow MS Project to calculate task durations, start and finish datesRemember your job and the tools job!MS Project calculates durations using the formula:

Effort Driven Scheduling

Not very well documented in literature, but . . . Not rocket science

Understand “The Rule” Your Job and the Tools Job

Remember Six step process for creating an effort driven

schedule