My question is this: Are there any algorithms that would assist in measuring the impact of additional resources to reduce the calendar time of a project? For example, if I have a 1,000 hour estimate for all tasks on a project, and would assume that one resource would be finished in 1,000 hours after starting, what is the impact of adding 1 or 2 more additional resources? I know that adds hours to the 1,000 for the purpose of coordinating and controlling their activities, the communications, etc.
Is there a formula or approach for calculating the impact of this?
I would think that the shape of the network of dependencies would have the biggest impact on what additional resources could do for you. Saving Changes...
Darrell MarkhamSr. IT Project Manager| Tyler TechnologiesBrentwood, Ca, United States
I think you need a sim to do that correctly. There is a program called SimVision that models and predicts the effects of interdependencies. I understand it's a good application if you are fast tracking large projects. Saving Changes...
Frank WintersPhotographer and ConservationistSandwich, Ma, United States
Adding resources in the early stages of a project can produce positive results, but as Darrell recommends, this needs to be modeled. You can use your standard planning tool -- MS project or whatever -- to get a feel for the imact but this has the same limitations as the tool presents for planning generally -- that is its limited by the meaningfulness and accuracy of the inputs used.
But if you are thinking of adding resources to an ongoing project in trouble, think again. In fact read Fredrick Brooks on this in Saving Changes...
Frank WintersPhotographer and ConservationistSandwich, Ma, United States
(Sorry to be posting this twice -- the first one had a glich that truncated the post)
Adding resources in the early stages of a project can produce positive results, but as Darrell recommends, this needs to be modeled. You can use your standard planning tool -- MS project or whatever -- to get a feel for the imact but this has the same limitations as the tool presents for planning generally -- that is its limited by the meaningfulness and accuracy of the inputs used.
But if you are thinking of adding resources to an ongoing project in trouble, think again. In fact read Fredrick Brooks on this in The Mthical Man-Month a great classic of project management literature. Brooks opines that when a project gets in trouble the project manager needs to reduce the number of staff assigned. Figuring out which staff you actually need -- those that are going to get things done quickly -- and getting rid of the extra others is the way to go, according to Brooks.
On the other hand, if you have been asked to bring the project in earlier by adding resources, think long and hard before agreeing. Here is where a simulation tool would help because the variables are so many. In any case keep in mind that as often as not additional resources will slow things down, not speed them up. Saving Changes...
Thanks for the insight. I have read Fred Brooks excellent work on the subject, and heartily agree. In this case we are still planning the project, so I am not considering adding additional resources in the middle of a project, I am trying to gauge the impact of adding them before we start, when we are simply doing an estimate of the project, and want a quick calculation of how many hours vs. weeks it would be when impacted by additional resources. Sounds like there is no clean way to do this without a lot of additional What-If scenarios in MS Project. Saving Changes...
