Task Types

There are several flavors of tasks, and the project manager controls the flavor. A project manager ignoring task types does so at his/her peril, as the likely result is frustration and hair-pulling at seemingly inexplicable behavior of MS-Project.

First, let’s state the underlying formula: Duration x Units = Work.

There are three task types:

• Fixed Units
• Fixed Work
• Fixed Duration

Project uses Fixed Units by default.

In general "Fixed Work" is most intuitive and usable for software development efforts.

Note there is no one right task-type, it completely depends on what's being worked on. For the relatively rare generic operational activities, I recommend use of the Fixed Duration task-type. This is for tasks such as a "management overhead task" that gets spread flatly across a plan, or if there's a fixed duration (ie. watching paint dry, or making babies (ie 9 resources do not in a month a baby make)). This is the kind of overhead apply for generic resource across a project. In other words, tasks that are not really task-oriented, are "operational" lights on. If you work more or less on this kind of task, the duration doesn't change.

Each of the task types affects scheduling when you edit one of the three elements as follows:

In conventional thinking, as resources are added to a task, the total work on the task stays the same. However, the amount of work distributed to the resources assigned to the task changes. Effort-driven scheduling only takes effect when resources are added to or removed from a task. Effort-driven calculation rules are not applied when you change work, duration, and units.
When working with effort-driven scheduling, keep the following in mind:

• The effort-driven calculations apply only after the first resources are initially assigned to the task. After the first resources are assigned, the work value doesn't change as new resources are assigned to or removed from the same task.
  
• If the assigned is Fixed Units, assigning additional resources shortens the duration of the task.
  
• If the assigned task type is Fixed Duration, assigning additional resources decreases the individual unit values for resources.
  
• If the assigned task type is Fixed Work, assigning additional resources shortens the duration of the task.
  

We now know what task-type is and how it works. Got questions? let me know, I'm here to help as always.

Welcome!

Project Management can be abstract, theoretical and cerebral. Especially if one spends too much time buried in the industry literature. Real Project Management is from the trenches; hands-on, full-contact, grappling with real-world problems. This blog tackles the tough questions raised in real-world situations, as well as tips and tricks that can bring success and (dare I say) even joy to the most battle-hardened Project Manager.

Welcome to "Project Management from the trenches", where I share tips and tricks on project management.

To get started, I’d like to share some MS-Project and MS-SharePoint related tips and tricks on an ongoing basis. I’ve started to document the detailed answers to questions that are frequently raised by associates.

In terms of my style, I like to show images so people can follow “click by click".

I'll start with topics in MS-Project, which is the tool of choice by project managers. In the hands of the uninitiated, MS-Project can be a source of endless confusion, seemingly frustrating the simplest of efforts. With understanding and insight, it can be a tool of beauty, saving endless time by handling tedious scheduling and providing analytic insights to optimize the efforts of your team.

I welcome questions that I can address. Lastly, I appreciate your time in reading this, because ultimately this blog is for you, my friends and future friends :-)

Joel