[kplato] request

[Mark Tombs]

On Monday 01 November 2004 12.18, Dag Andersen wrote:
> On Søndag 31 oktober 2004 20:02, Mark Tombs wrote:
> (snip)>
>
> > Some more observations on this. Having looked at the Task
> > Properties dialog, I personally found it confusing, and I think
> > this is because I am not used to MS Project. All of the settings
>
> Yes, but I don't think we can blame MS, though ;)
>
> > and options there seem to assume that as soon as I change any
> > values, all my tasks will be shifted about.
>
> That's how it is now, yes.
>
> > I think the basic, fundamental thing that I don't agree with is
> > that task duration is linked to estimated effort. I also don't
> > think that changing one task should automagically change other
> > tasks too.
>
> Well, you can enter an 'effort' estimation as 'Fixed duration', that
> means whatever amount of resources you put on it the duration will
> not change.
>
> > It seems to me that if you break the link between duration and
> > estimates then a lot of the options in the task dialog go away, and
> > even more go away if you don't auto-schedule. Lets say, for
> > instance, that it works this way:
> >
> > 1. I enter my tasks with durations on them (no estimates yet
> > though) 2. I set up the task dependencies.
> > 3. I click the 'auto-schedule' button, tell it which date to start
> > from (default from today) and bingo, all my tasks have start and
> > end dates, and I have a project plan.
>
> Can you explain the difference between duration and estimate, just to
> make things clearer for me?

I can try. In my book, the duration is the length of the task, and the 
estimate is the amount of hours a person is going to be working on the task. 
A task can be 10 days long, but not have 10x8 (I'm assuming an 8-hour working 
day) estimate, because a person may only be doing two hours a day on the 
task, or they might not have a smooth assignment - a resource might be 
estimated to do 8 hours on the first day, then nothing the second day, then 8 
hours after that. 
 
>
> > Now all I need in a task dialog are task name, duration, start
> > date, end date, and a check-box for start and end date saying if
> > they are fixed or not. That way I can pin a task if I don't want it
> > moved by the auto-schedule process. I've taken the liberty of
> > knocking up a dialog.
>
> Good, will have a look.
>
> > Of course, I can enter assignments with estimates on them, and the
> > auto-schedule process will take those into account.
>
> Hmm, ok you estimate amount of work needed, right?
>
> > I don't want to stir up a whole hornets nest here, it just seems a
> > lot simpler this way...
>
> I like simplicity, too, if it covers my needs. It should be possible
> to offer a simple way to create a simple plan and then expand on it,
> though.
>

I am not suggesting 'dumbing down' kplato, actually the opposite. I want the 
control to be in the hands of the project manager, not the scheduling 
algorithm. The PM should be able to under or over-assign resources. The PM 
should be able to finely control the hours of the assignment, and know that 
what they have entered will stay there. I think that in this case, simpler is 
also more powerful :) 

Disclaimer : I'm not a project manager myself, though I have worked with PM 
software for a few years, so I might not know what the hell I am talking 
about :)

> > mark