Let’s Challenge SPIDER

Vladimir,



If as a Contractor I am running a TIA for an EOT claim I can run the analysis using resource constraining as no job is done without resources. Therefore the software that yields the worst result, the most impact, will be at my advantage?



I might use Spider Project to run my job and use Primavera SureTrak or P3 for my EOT’s to my advantage.



I will start from a not so good schedule before impact and will end up with an impacted schedule also not so good, but the difference, the impact will also be augmented by the substandard Primavera algorithm.



Perhaps we should ban Spider Project from impact analysis while at the same time ban Primavera to control your job.



Please don’t tell the Owners that requiring substandard software will work against them.



Best regards,

Rafael

Raf and Vladimir



Gantt chart alone cannot be considered the input screen, it is aided by the activity details screen, but as end users I and all Contractors I know always end up using the Gantt chart as our main screen. And yes we know it is an output, an output we like to see as soon as data is entered, we do not want to be changing screens continuously. To me each complements the other and none is the substitute of the other, to trace logic and debug your model there is nothing like the PERT chart and the activity details screen. Both of your software have both, a few do not have the PERT/PDM diagram, those without the PERT/PDM diagram got to be ruled out (Asta la vista baby).



Total float shall refer to all constraints as Spider Project does but this is not in conflict with Micro Planner definition as long as it considers all constraints, I believe it does. Resource constrained Total Float shall have the same definition.



There is software that does their resource leveling under either of two options; resource leveling can extend the project duration or it cannot. Therefore we have two needed algorithms that should be compared; both shall look for the best possible outcome under both circumstances. As you know I learned other software is weak at their algorithms, I say so because through an example it was shown to me, it was not B.S.-ing, my software vendor (not difficult to guess) did not told me how bad they are at this.



Under both options then I believe the calculated activity total float shall be different as we are looking for a solution that satisfy different requirements. If we want to compare total float values between both conditions then we shall use another metric, keeping consistency in the definition of total float, but this is just semantics.



In very few occasions, as I was mostly using soft dependencies, I performed my resource leveling using the option of resource leveling cannot extend project duration under different project duration scenarios for contract duration, when late you got to get some compromises. I did not know I was using the wrong software, software with very weak algorithms.



Scarlet,



I don’t believe I will be using all functionalities of Spider Project, only those relevant for the job in question. There will always be people or specifiers that will ask for the use of all functionalities, they are in error, use them as needed. We don’t cost load our CPM schedules but some might have real need for the functionality and even for the extension on Present Value, relevant in countries where inflation is high, or when your job duration spans several years.



Maybe the software should let you toggle off and on with ease the menu options for those less used functionalities as to make it simple to navigate, you got a point. Whenever I see Scarlet on PP I jump to read your occurrences, to see who got the water splash, there is unique humor and some genius in your posting.



Best regards,

Rafael

I can not believe what I’m reading here.



Rafael Davila is a convert of Spidey.



Raffy did you acquire the power of Spider.



meaning you find it like jumping and swaying from one functionalities to another.



Oh men, strange planet.



On the other hand, is there some sort of moro moro here meaning some script being played.



In fairness to Vladimir, I do believe what he is saying. Only I don’t have time to really get involve with spidey. Maybe when the time comes that I will work in Russia.



Thank you.

Scarlett

Vladimir,



Spider not only shines with regard to resource usage, probably the most important of all functionalities, but also in many others.



Among one of the functionalities we have not talked is how you update the schedule, this is someting you don’t realize at the beginning, when you start exploring the software.



It seems that by default when you update the schedule you update the period actuals and not only the to-date, it also prevent updating the schedule activities by mistake and keeps a clear and auditable log of every update. Keeping the integrity of the data is a serious matter, Spider takes care of it in a practical way.



If you can give me some hints on this, with the understanding I am new at it, I will appreciate it.



Best regards,

Rafael

Rafael



Here I am in the middle of the biggest downpour I have seen in years, totally flooded out and a hole in my Wellies, and up you pop with a very sensible (albeit humourous ) post.



I needed that laugh



It is great pity that after all the care you went to lay the post out, it is not how it appears on my screen at anyrate. In fact ot looks quite odd.



Maybe we had better put another request for an improvement to the website



I hope you are going to find some time to get back into Micro Planner, even if it is to keep you sane



Regards



Raf

Probably Planning Planet should consider realignment on the Discussion Categories. I would suggest the following:



ADVANCED SCHEDULING: With resource critical path and good resource leveling algorithms.

A)Spider Project

B)Micro Planner



MEDIOCRE SCHEDULING: Without resource critical path and without good resource leveling algorithms where some users feel the need to use soft dependencies to overcome this limitation.

A)Primavera P3

B)Primavera Suretrak

C)Asta Power Project

D)Open Plan



QUASI SCHEDULING: Bar Charting, Location and others.

A)Microsoft Project

B)Teamplan

C)Tilos



BUG SOFTWARE

A)Primavera P6, P7, P8 ….. P41 service pack 368

B)Pac Man

Vladimir



You say in your help file on Spider



"Resource critical path can be calculated only

by Spider Project software. Other PM

software packages will show wrong activity

floats if resource leveling is used"



I must say that I have to totally disagree with you, Micro Planner X-Pert for Windows has no problems in providing a Resourced Critical Path.



In fact we can provide a Critical Path which has been scheduled by either the limit of Time or the Limit of Resource



The Total Float once Resource Scheduling has taken place I call Remaining Float as if it has not been used up in the Resource scheduling process, YOU Cannot use the float, because the task has been scheduled to occur at the time (dates) that the algorithm has calculated.



Once a task has been allocated the resource it requires and it has had to say wait one time period to get it, the Total Float has now been decremented by One Unit, so Total Float now goes up the scheduling queue by One unit, because now unless the activity continues to get schedule it is now working it’s way to criticality .



In Micro Planner X-Pert we schedule by Decision Tables which have been used constantly for over forty five years, because they were originally written for the first ICT/ICL PERT software packages.



A single simple Decision Table may at the worst have to go through 108 decisions to actually schedule the activity or not at this time period.



If there has been no delay in allocating the resource then the Total Float has not been impacted, if there has been a delay, then TF is now less one period



Raf

Vladimir,



Yes I got it about filtering driving activities and exporting to another job, and then you will miss all relationships to the other chains.



I am asking for functionality above filtering for predecessors and I am aware that filtering for predecessors is already per-se very powerful and not available in any other software at the GANTT Chart. Suretrak can trace logic in the PERT Diagram but navigation is not as easy. No software I know can trace resource drivers. It would be fantastic if these dynamic links do show in the GANTT and PERT views, let say in green dotted lines. By extending the filter to all drivers, instead of predecessors only, you will be in so much control Spider Project would be many years ahead of all software.



Cost and Materials driving constraints might be included also; sorry but here we say no-one ever died by asking. For date constraints an asterisk is enough. I want to know on the spot whatever is driving my activities.



Well Vladimir I just got an estimating job so this will keep me busy for a few days. Thanks a lot for your guidance and patience.



SPIDER PROJECT IS SUPER



Best regards,

Rafael

Vladimir,



I am starting to realize that is enough to filter the predecessor’s chain to handle the issue on compressing the specific chain if there is no resource driving activity.



But in case there is an external chain activity that is resource driving the filter will miss it. How about filtering all driving activities as to include resource driving activities, is that possible?



About DRAG I would like to use this functionality in the sample job but when I select DRAG and close the scheduling options windows and then reopen the window it comes out without DRAG being selected.



Best regards,

Rafael

Vladimir,



In order to include the activity I have to insert a successor or filter from a successor whose single predecessor is the activity, am I correct?



Do you have a script for filtering predecessors with WBS? This would be the envy of all.



The filter is quite unique and useful.



Remember I am still unable to use DRAG.



Best regards,

Rafael

Hello Vladimir,



I wish you Good Day.



It is heavily advertise in local Middle East Newsletter that foreign to Russia General Contracting Company (but #1 in a particular GCC)will soon to start foundation work.



That is why I’m keeping tab in the internet for some planning job posting towers or high rise building to be buit in Russia’s St. Peterbergs.



I would like to know if Primavera and MS Project sold in Russia use English or Russian. It will help to decide to take Russian or stick to English, in case my interest to work in Russia may become a reality.



Thank you,

Scarlett

Raf,



In my comparison for resource leveling between SureTrak and Spider I came out with a solution without doing anything to the software, It was from a file supplied by Vladimir still to make sure no options were previously set by Vladimir. You can download the files from the link I posted under post #82. The settings for my SureTrak run were the software default.



I also have pending the issue on true laddering as I want to compare this functionality in Micro Planner against Spider Project. I also understand that your software have the functionality for longest path on individual activities.



In my opinion the following relevant functionalities set apart any software from the rest of the pack:



1-Resource Critical Path

2-Longest Path

3-Good resource leveling/constaining algorithms as they may make a huge differnce.



There are other intermediate functionalities like Laddering –on average a 10% of my construction activities, Consumable Resources, DRAG, Buffers, Monte Carlo embedded in the software and a few others.



The above are functionalities not available in any Primavera Product, so they belong to the third group, at the very bottom. It was a surprise to learn Primavera lacks good resource leveling/constaining algorithms.



I will latter investigate Micro Planner Demo as I used before the Mac version of the software and loved it.



Vladimir cannot accept I am still using Suretrak, I keep saying him, I use it because I am required to do so, not because of my choice. I fear I will end using MS Project as no contractor I know is willing to use P6, they rather use MS Project, a software I do not classify into any of the CPM Groups but under a Quasi-CPM (or Almost-CPM) classification.



Vladimir,



“DRAG shows how project duration will change if activity duration will become zero.” - Vladimir you said before that your English is not so good, but you have a way to simplify things and make it easier to understand, thanks. Remember I am still not able to use this functionality with the demo software, why? What am I doing wrong?



About creating separate project for activities that are proceeding I copied the text into a word file to latter do it myself, seems like what I was looking for, thanks again.



Best regards,

Rafael

Rafael



I am very interested in the resource scheduler esults you are getting from Spider, what I would like to know are you having to manipulate a whole series of switches and parameters to drive the schedule?



Shades of P3 and P6



Or are you getting a decent result straight out of the box. By that I mean the settings supplied by Spider are such that they provide an optimum answer (solution) without you doing anything to the software, other than the few minor choices you NEED to make to derive your answer



Raf

Vladimir,



Something got mixed while editing my prior posting, hope you don’t mind, sorry.



Anoon



I had a very good experience with Micro Planner for the MAC is software worth considering. It is good somewhere else people didn’t got hooked on Primavera. The obsession with Primavera in the USA is backfiring at us, the end user.



Best regards,

Rafael

Vladimir,

What is DRAG and how it is used? In the Demo help could not find it, I can select it at the Calculations Options but does not holds. Somewhere I read that DRAG stands for the amount of time a critical activity can be reduced while at the same time the job duration is reduced by the same amount before other subcritical path get into its way.

I also want to investigate on how to get longest path to a selected activity; you had a suggestion before but I need the details.

As per your posting #11 on this thread:

“You can consider the set of activities that precede current activity as the separate project with its own critical path, DRAG values, etc.”

"With its own critical path", yes this is what I understand for longest path.

This is a Soccer game with low scores, not basketball. After first half Spider Project 3 big goals, Primavera SureTrak 0.

By big goals I mean:

1-Substantially superior resource leveling algorithms.
2-The ability to show true critical path and float under resource constraining, something Primavera SureTrak cannot dream of.
3-Material Resources, I call consumable resources, with a functionality that goes far beyond accounting for Materials but other resources such as space. Functionality not available in SureTrak.

Sorry but the superior ease of use by Spider Project and many other will not count as a goal. The scaling bar for the screen layout and print layout is quite good but keep it out.

Best regards,
Rafael

Vladimir



Download a copy of Micro Planner from our UK web page

www.microplanning.co.uk



RE my comment re using the float is that once you have had the program allocate the resource on the Resource Start Date and Finish on the Resource Finish Date, if you unilaterally decide to not perform the task at those dates because there is Remaining Total Float ( a name which has been in use since 1963, when we invented it at ICT/ICL, so it is not surprising you may not have heard of it) You will now cause a problem with the resources, because they were allocated, lets say between day 6 until day 9 on task 2, all the remaining resource at the those times has been allocated to the other tasks which occur at that same time.

So two things may occur, you now waste the resource because you do not execute the allocated task and you could have done some other task which could have been allocated, but because it is lower down the scheduling queue it was delayed because it had Total Float.



If you say well you do not mind delaying an already Resource Scheduled Task, then wehy run Resource Scheduling.



Micro Planner allows the user to schedule resources in such a way that the Deadline (ie the Critical Path is maintained as no task is ever delayed once it has run out of Total Float, so the task MUST be scheduled even if it causes an overload.

The alternative is your project is in the middle of Russia somewhere, where there is not sufficient resources avcailable to waste, so you are Resource Limited. Thus if a task does not get scheduled because there is no more resource, and it is critical, it will be delayed.



TRhe whole point of resource scheduling is to ensure you can performed all or nearly all the work required using a specific number or variable number of resources. So we get either overloads which means you know exactly how much more resource your require, or because you are stuck in the middle of Russia for example, how long the project will be delayed because of the shortage of one or more trades.



It was very popular several years ago to have multi skilled tradesmen. now in X-Pert we can use group resources which can be allocated and any one who is free at the time can be allocated.



Unfortunately or Hooray, MSP is absolutley hopeless at Resource Scheduling and consultants make a very good living fiddling and manipulating the data to try and force a result



Total Float is defined as the amount of time you can delay a task without delaying the project thats all.



Use of constraints causes all sorts of other mathmatical problems in MSP.



Primavera 3 and 6 are not exactly the worlds best at Resourcing either especially when SS and FF get used between tasks, but then thats another story



When you download Micro Planner remember our paradigm is to create all our data in a critical path, we do not use a Gantt as input because a Gantt is output and was defined so back in 1964, and the reasons haven’t changed, just an increase in bad software :-)



Oops nearly forgot there is a Quikstart pdf manual built in to the downlaod which will get you going, enjoy



Raf

Vladimir,



Finally I can see true critical path:



In Spider Project true float is shown for those resource critical activities, a continuous path is shown.







In SureTrak only one activity is shown as critical, float means nothing and critical path is not continuous. If I filter for critical path only one activity will be shown on a discontinuous path.





note: all activities initially in parallel, no logic connection in between activities.



Working without true critical path does not make sense.



Best regards,

Rafael

Anoon



It just so happens that there are two of us with the same initials



I would suspect that there are several hundred in Planning Planet with the same initials.



I am an Australian of Italian parentage and the proper spelling of mu Christian name is Raffaelle.

Far to complicated for out Anglo Saxon friends who converted it to Raphael. I could not care less as most Italians Raphaels use ph (as did the Painter)

and the Spanish Rafaels use the F



I own Micro Planning International Asia Pacific as well as interests in the US and UK and German companies we have been going for over thirty years (started in June 1978) We write Project Management software which works and doesn’t cause the heated debates most other products seem too.

Better than that we also offer a first clsss support service to our clients, so in the unlikely case of our software not performing, we fix it and / or supply work arounds.



I am not claiming my software does everything that everybody else claims they can.



We do what we do extremely well and most importantly we meet the arithmetic criteria originally created by Kelly and Walker.



If you are such a sceptic, why don’t you try it.



The other Rafael was one of our original Macintosh users, and as we find when they have to use another product, they get frustrated at the inability of the software they have to use to produce the correct result without the hassles that X-Pert for Windows allows you to do.



Raf

Hi Rafael,

how can you insert a picture in your message the way you do?

muchissimas gracias por ayudar

alejandro de argel

I’m confused with the two Mr. Rafs (Rafael and Raphael with the same last initial as "D."), I suspect they are one.



Anyway, if you want to ask me what a HOLE means? For me,

it means: Having-an-Organized Level-of-Experience (or it can be "Energy" (for the not too old); and "Efforts" for those who are actually working).



As you have said, Life is not Simple, but who is complicating it?



Now, if you will combine the three principles (very simple principles), the KISS (which for Mr. Dua is the only way); the ASS (application-of-systematic strategy - if you might forget) and the HOLE (as defined above), Isn’t it very easy to understand?



now, if you don’t mind...still very busy



cheers!

Vladimir,



The greatest challenge to Spider is the user. There is a tallest tower under construction in St. Petersbergs.



I did search the internet and I noticed job posting for building construction in Russia. But it also require the planner to have skils in Primavera.



Question:



Is Spider the project management software for the Tallest Tower in Russia and whole of Europe?



Thank you,

Scarlett

Anoon



Very Droll !

I haven’’t heard that for at least forty years



Raf

To all,



I guess any software that does resource leveling do it for some reason, because real life has constraints, because there is a need for it, whether you like it or not. It is a fallacy you can reason with simple FS0 logic all constraints, some are there just because they are a contractual requirement, others are because of physical limitations. Life is not that simple.



Any software developer that stands for simple SF0 relationships and do not believe in resource leveling or other type of constraints shall limit themselves to what they preach. If your software cannot do better than the sample resource leveling job Spider Project provided, if this is too complicated for you, then you better start thinking about retirement.



In summary I got:



Without resource       ES 1-Apr-09 EF 7-Jul-09 DUR 98 days

leveling

Primavera SureTrak      ES 1-Apr-09 EF 30-Jul-09 DUR 121 days

resource leveling

Spider Project       ES 1-Apr-09 EF 9-Jul-09 DUR 100 days

resource leveling



The numbers speak by themselves, ten activities, two resources, and only FS0 relationships, very simple. Multi constraining at the minimum expression, two sets of constraints, logical relationships and available resources, what all software can handle but not as good as Spider Project. Of course Spider Project can handle constraining on additional sets of constraints, something no other commercial software can do.







Best regards,

Rafael

KISS only works with an ASS, ASS means - Apply So-called System or Application of Systematic Strategy.



Now, you can all KISS my ASS!



cheers!

Folks



WELL I suppose it was about time I entered this discussion as Micro Planner is being talked about and how it does things.



First let me state, There is NO software in the WORLD that will ever do what the Planner & Scheduler perceives they need and want in order to provide a schedule which once having been created works for ever providing the results we all dream about.



Every single project is unique !, in fact that from my old and weary memory is how we describe a Project, it is a Unique endeavour with a Start and an End.



That is all there is too it !



Now the problem starts when we as Planners and Schedulers try to create a schedule which represents.. as we see it .. the truth.



Because the Client is not 100% sure of what they want, they create scopes, charters, specifications, drawing and all sorts of paraphenalia which they hope represents what they want. Plus to cover anything they have forgotten or is unclear, there is the CONTRACT, which runs counter to anything sensible and logical.



So we come along and try to immediately bang it into a piece of software which we love or hate (or both)and produce a schedule which is meant to represent Time, Budgets, Costs deliverables etc etc. The end date as per the Contract



But of course it doesn’t, never will. If you like me find yourself having a couple of days in which to take the scrappy Tender schedule we put together in the pious hope of winning the bid, (but don’t spend too much time and money on preparing the schedule, say management)you start to make compromises, the Project Director immediately without any reference to any schedule will direct you to the answer as they know it.



Worst still you will find yourself estimating durations for tasks which will be actually carried out by a sub contractor, you will make assumptions about the amount of resource they will allocate to your project, as well as likely costs. Have you any idea how much of the FF&E is imported and what price the dollar today for installation in three years time.



And all the time you are banging in constraints, without any real idea how the software handles multiple conflicting constraints, because we have to meet the contracted dates



Using all the clever bells and whistles that Vendor "X" has in their PM software to try and produce a half decent schedule which will actually stand up and last the week is pointless.



Basically unless you keep it really really simple, and do not try finde one of the 25 thousand combinations of switches that P5 and P6 can do for you to finesse the schedule, (and lot of other software tools too)you will only be a software jockey never a planner and scheduler.

You MUST be able to arrive at a Critical Path which has the Contract End Date, logically and WITHOUT a single constraint



Many years ago there was a small group of really brilliant Planners and Schedulers here in Melbourne (Australia)in about 1968 - 73 George Pockett and Associates was the name, who only ever did their P & S by hand calculations.



And I tell you they did a great job, it was the pressure of non planners in the construction companies who pushed for Computer produced schedules on a weekly basis, that killed them off.



Whats the point I hear you all cry !



The point is that all the foregoing posts regarding whether this software does this or that, is actually meaningless.



I love Vladimir Liberzon’s Spider package for all the things it can do, BUT I do not actually need any of them to produce a great working schedule.



The ability to assign crews, simulating working in shifts, work volumes resource productivities etc etc, is fantastic.



I wish I could use all these wonderful things on my current $AUD 500 million construction project, but the problem is that the moment I have to ascertain from the sub contractor what, when, how many, who will he put on the task, he can’t tell me. So far after a year I do not think one out of 76 subbies has been within 25% of what they thought they would do as to what actually is going on.



We run a very thin total project schedule with four weekly sub schedules and six monthly over view schedules to cover the four years of the project.



Simple multiple schedules using arrow diagrams and precedence diagram mixed with the interfaces between to cope with the drivers.



Of course we use Micro Planner X-Pert for Windows, BUT, I have to report in MSP2003.



Text Data Interchange is how we do it, so we use MSP for the pictures so loved by management and XPW for doing the actual work and resource driven schedules.



XPW has been going for thirty years without too much fuss and bells and whistles. It just does Critical Path, fully Resourced, and Costed, very simply !



BTW we also run full EVPM through XPW.



KISS is the only way



Well that’s my view



Raf

Vladimir,



It was so easy to get the result I was looking using Spider Project that I did not got into this, I revised the SureTrak PDF as to my SureTrack histograms be in hours per week. To compare apples with apples.



My experience with Micro Planner was many years ago, with the MAC, when everyone else was using DOS and making jokes about the mouse.



Best regards,

Rafael

Vladimir,



I just made some adjustments as to show in the SureTrak histograms hours/week same as Spider Project. I would like you to verify the compressed folder. The PDF have Bookmarks that will help you to navigate and understand each drawing.



Here you will find my PDF comparing SureTrak vs. Spider and also the P3 and Spider Files.



Spider vs. Primavera SureTrak





About using other possible resource leveling options with SureTrak, forget it, with Spider Project you do not need it, just set it to the optimization method. I have no patience to look and find the best combination of options will give me the best of what SureTrak can do.



Spider files are easier to move than Primavera, the program startup is faster than Primavera and it yields better resource leveling, better by much. This Spider thing is even easier to use.



And I thought this about Spider Project being an all inclusive resort was a joke, was about to ask you about the free banana boat ride.



Well, the desert was good, but we have not finished with the snacks yet, we call them “piscolabis”. I want to continue exploring other functionalities and maybe the “laddering” behavior, not sure about it being equivalent to Micro Planner Ladder Activities. The problem is I don’t have Micro Planner and doubt it is as easy to use as Spider Project. Maybe someone of our Micro Planner friends will jump and explain the functionality.



Best regards,

Rafael

Vladimir,



By the way “piscolabis” (snacks) can be better than desert, we also can have appetizers (Hors d’œuvre) for a start these can be caviar.



For “piscolabis” I am thinking about true critical path after resource leveling, like nacho chips with homemade guacamole. Maybe the sample job can be used for these purposes, I will investigate this unique functionality during the weekend, as you know my old notebook died and I am using my son’s notebook, he is claiming for some computer time.



Best regards,

Rafael

Vladimir,



Where is the functionality for Ladder Activities and progressive feed? Using Spider Demo I want to mimic the effect of stopping work in one ladder rung and see the effect through all of the dependent rungs, not just the end event.



Links, Lags and Ladders



“This is similar to the operation of SS and FF links, however, from an analytical viewpoint, the major advantage of a ladder is if work stops on one rung, the delay is automatically flowed through all of the dependent rungs, not just the end event.”



Vladimir, I already downloaded the demo version of Spider Project and I am getting ready for the Grand Finale, the comparison of resource leveling sample using Spider Project and my software.



Spider Project Don’t let me down.



Best regards,

Rafael

Vladimir,



For the size and type of jobs we do probably applying all these functionalities to all resources would be overkill but applying to a few like different production rates to different earthmoving equipment really stands out. After you get used to these functionalities it must be good to have them than missing them.



That you collect information on the volume of work done is something we used to call production reports to be included as part of your job costing in order to get unit costing instead of mere budgeting. To me tracing cost expenditure per cost account without tying these to a physical unit of production is a waste of time, and believe me this is not uncommon.



For years I was a Project Engineer and latter a Project Manager. As a Project manager if I asked the Project Engineer how much work was accomplished and he tells me 4,000 man hours I would ask him to be more specific. If by Monday he tells me 2,000 man-hours of Concretework, 500 man-hours of excavation, 1,000 man-hours of masonry installation and 500 man-hours of cement plaster by next Wednesday he will be at Mexico Street collecting his unemployment check. I need CY/cubic yards for Concretework, CM/cubic meters of excavation, SF of masonry installation and SY/square yards of cement plaster, I need to know my unit costs, please don’t give me EV acronyms. At the jobsite everyone knows the average unit costs of each, but BCWS, BCWP, ACWP and so on is non-sense, this is budgeting at its lowest level, just using weird parameter names.



That Spider Project has Earned Value Functionality is good, some Owners require it. I would not use it unless required, but better having it than not, just in case.



About Multi Resources (Crews), I love that, this is how construction work is managed on the field.



Can you pleas expand on Volume Lags and Strict Links, what are they for?



Best regards,

Rafael

Vladimir,



Exploring in sequential order your Comparative analysis of the functional features of PM software packages, the first item that attracts my attention is under Activity Types, Volume (physical), can you briefly explain what does this functionality means and provide us with some examples showing this cannot be modeled under software lacking this functionality.



I will continue through the table as to get a grasp on those other functionalities latter on and will follow up on the promised sample job showing how Power Project resource leveling is superior to the rest of the pack. This will be for desert, better be good, do not disappoint me.



Best regards.

Rafael

Hi Anoon,



I’m saying you’re suggestion of:



""Resources are assigned to tasks" - I supposed this is the conventional way.



I’m thinking of the reverse - Tasks to be assigned to resources (using a resource pool, resources calendar and a defined series of activities). "



...is not practical.



I think what Vladimir and Rafael are suggesting is quite different:

1)Build your schedule as normal (including all logical links which are mandatory, but none which are sometimes included to manage resource limitations)

2)Assign the resources required to do the activities

3) Have the programming software do some magic computational stuff which will give you the best schedule which satisfies all the links and constraints you entered in step 1, but also adheres to whatever resource limitations you have told the software about.

4) As the project progresses, re-run step 3 with each update so that the actual resource limitations are continuously reflected in the latest forecast, throughout the life of the project.



This approach gives clear benefits to the 2 most common alternatives which are:

a) Ignore resource limitations, and get a schedule which for example may tell you you need to have 20 cranes on site on the same day

b) Use logical links to reflect the resource limitations by for example staggering the crane-requiring activities, and then having to manually add / delete / ammend all such links with each update to ensure the schedule remains fit for purpose.



Cheers,



G

Hi Gary,



Don’t get me wrong. I supposed these are all Rafael’s and Vladimir’s ideas with their "resource constraining" and "activities with no links" using their "systematic algorithm"; "brute force" or whatever (i forgot some).



Now, you are saying that it’s not possible?



cheers!