Mike,

It seems like some scheduling experts agree with you on the issue of constraints.

_ “Assigned constraints: Overrides computer calculations at the core of CPM scheduling.
Result: According to one scheduling expert, "If you do this, it’s a bar chart" and not a traditional CPM network diagram and schedule.”

From:

http://www.pmicos.org/fse.asp

Richard,

A schedule without driving logic is a Bar Chart.

Project Managers are to verify schedule logic, is their responsibility, they should schedule the way they want to build the thing as long as it is reasonable. If your PMs have to override their own logic very frequently I would call it bad planning, bad scheduling, bad team work, well maybe just Bar Charting.

Sorry I did not answered before but I am not getting e-mails from PP.

Best regards,
Rafael

Unfortunately as Mike said there is no software that can handle well intermediate milestones without breaking the rules of logic every time you use them. Same goes for logic relationships other than FS, and also for negative lag.

If you schedule using forward pass and then backward pass to get late dates then everything should be driven in a forward direction. If you schedule using first backward pass and then forward pass as to determine a target project start date everything should be driven in the other direction. Milestones shall represent an added activity to the left or to the right depending on which direction you start.

There is no reason why PDM shall break the rules of logic.

Hi Rafael

Thanks for the best laugh of the week.

I am waiting for a realistic software packaage that has millstones.

Very best regards

Mike T.