Multiple resources on one task need minimum 40 hours per resource/per week

Question

Hi all,

I am using MS Project Professional (Online Desktop Client) and trying to develop a construction schedule with a fixed amount of work and a fixed number of available resources. The caveat is that my resources are hourly trade workers that need a minimum of 40 hours per week.

I have a fixed budget and, therefore, a limit to the number of resources the project can afford (cost) and need to complete the project as quickly as possible (but limited by other company predecessors) using 15 resources as three teams of 5. Each team is capable of completing any of the tasks and can float between tasks if need be (i.e., team 1 can move to another task if another company/predecessor hasn't completed their work in a particular area). The problem is that if I assign all 15 resources to all the tasks (Maybe this is wrong?), then each resource is only working 13 hours per week (as an example) since it's splitting the work across all 15 resources.

Can someone tell me how I can make every resource (team) available for all tasks to float between and still ensure a minimum of 40 hours per team member? The only alternative I can come up with is to assign tasks to teams manually, but this leaves gaps in work for some teams and over allocations for others.

Thanks for the help in advance!

Answer 1

But Project is a choice and your thread has been moved there.

Answer 2

This is because MS Project was not an option in the drop down menu I was provided when posing this. I left it defaulted to Access.

Thanks

Answer 3

Trevor,

Thank you for your reply.

It sounds like I'm asking Project to do something it's incapable of. Resource Optimization. I have been using 15 individual resources (Elec01, Elect02, etc.). But when assigning a resource(s) to a task, they are always grouped in 5 (1 Lead, 2 Electricians, and 2 helpers). I understand the inevitability of spare capacity, but on a fixed-cost project, I aim to minimize or eliminate this waste. It would appear MSP is more in tune with Time Optimization vs. Cost Control.

Thanks again for your feedback.

Nick

Answer 4

Ahh,.. my favorite topic.

I think you are conflating different objectives.

Start with good modelling. Create the necessary 15 resources as person sized units, "person 01", "person 02" to 15, etc, rather than teams.

Start with assigning particular individuals to the tasks, and it looks like it will be five of them for each task.

MSP cannot do the optimisation you are looking for. That's management decisions and what you are for.

After assigning whoever you think is the most appropriate resources to the tasks, there will inevitably be over-allocations.

Levelling will shake this out.

There will also be peaks and valleys, which will be apparent in the resource graph or the resource usage views, and you can do some smoothing. Levelling can help with smoothing up to a point, but then you can fine tune the assignments.

As far as trying to give everyone 40 hours, well, they get whatever you give them. It is inevitable or probable that people will have spare capacity.

Answer 5

You posted under a forum for Microsoft Access the database development platform, I suggest you find a MS Project forum for help.