WBS Summary does not shows the correct Orignial Duration

Question

Hi Friends,
Currently I am using WBS Summary or Level of Effort type of activity on top of my every WBS and I am assigning all my resources to that activity to save the time rather than assigning resources with each and every activity.
But, in my new project I have the activities which has a scattered durations like one activity starts on 3 rd day another starts on 25th day. So, my project is not planned to go smooth or linear. So, if I am counting the total duration for that particular WBS is 25 days but in WBS Summary it shows me 250 days and it is also spreading my resources for 250 days while I am using the resources only for 25 days. Still, the resource usage and costing shows me the same amount.But, I am concern about the resource Usage Assignments which is not correct.
So, I will appreciate any kind of solution with this problem and it will make my life easier.............
Thanks in advance
Edited by: user13349410 on Jul 6, 2010 10:19 AM

Answer 1

Jawad,
i agree the methods you mentioned are good general advice when it comes to sound planning. but they are considerably more time consuming than proper
"who does what" resource assignment to tasks. further more #2 and #3, may need even more manual work to accomodate changes into the project schedule or scope or when dealing with conflicting requirements.
proper resource loading of your schedule is preferable, even using conventional default settings such as:
- linear distribution of effort (units/ costs). no curve or future bucket planning which IMO, depending on required level of detail, can prove to be overkill;
- activity driven resource dates. whenever possible, it is much simpler to "split" activities or better yet create as many as you need in the first place, so that resource allocation start/finish dates coincide with activity start/finish dates for all resources assigned to the activity, rather than having resource lags, non-linear curves or future buckets;
- no artificial constraints on activities, but proper relationships of required type and lag;
- no fixed artificial non-working periods set in activity and/or resource calendars (other than legal/ organisation/ project standards dictate or are so set by technical, workflow, environment or availability reasons that may apply).
especially since calendars are likely to have different requirements, when existing calendars are reused within project and especially in other projects (global calendars).
best regards,
Tibi