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"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
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Yes. Well, actually for a remodel.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Googling for gantt construction gives back 33K results, with the first 75% or so being software. MS has a product, Project, that pretends to be a Gantt chart builder. In reality, it is not very responsive to real world events (big surprise, it's from MS).
In reality, it is not very responsive to real world events (big surprise, it's from MS).
LOL!!! Spit my coffee out on that one--I'm cursed to have to work with it daily. Or maybe that's I curse daily to have to work with it.
Leigh
Or maybe that's I curse daily to have to work with it.
ROAR!
"The only problem with having a job that drives you to drink is that none of them will drive you home afterwards . . . " Unknown
My favorite Project feature is the "Compare" button. Which only seems to work if the CP does not change. (I just love management-by-highlighter on hard copy "Can ya fax that to me?" . . . )Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
If you have a simple project that goes exactly according to schedule and doesn't require ANY changes, you might be fine.
What kills me is that I've had it go bonkers on me often enough even on the simple files that I don't fully trust it anymore. And the bugs are usually subtle enough at first that you think it's just operator error and spend too long trying to fix the link or the calendar or the resource pool or the predecessor or whatever and then the whole thing implodes on you.
Or is it just me?
Leigh
Or is it just me?
It can't be just you . . .
My A, Number One, gripe with Project is that you can't overlay the time lines. The closest I've found is to use the completion shading, but that is an imperfect method. For day-to-day operations, I always found it easier to just rename the fool chart to this week's date and not try to track changes. But that may just be me.
My other gripe is that the fool thing organizes by listed event, not by linkage. So, your critical path may be two pages vertically, and near none horizontally--sheesh. What's this line? Is it a date line, or is it a connectivity line? (Had to work on one organised by CSI, not tasks--rebar was all by the same vendor, who delivered all at once, try fitting that into bar for concrete, mesh for floors, and brickhangers--and lintels--by CSI listing; all before being shorted on the delivery . . . )Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
For day-to-day operations, I always found it easier to just rename the fool chart to this week's date and not try to track changes. But that may just be me.
Nope. Me too.
My other gripe is that the fool thing organizes by listed event, not by linkage.
I keep thinking that what is needed is a 3D Project management software. Project can be really powerful, but it gets in its own way.
Leigh
needed is a 3D Project management
AIAIAIAIAiiiii!!!! All we need, yet another spatial dimension marketers cannot percieve (which will make it a snap to sell to PHB management types . . . )
One thing I did for last month versus this month, was to print last month's in greyscale, and this month on the random sheets of overhead transparency stock in full color. That would get stacked and color photcopied to make comparison charts.
Which would work, except that the boss would go back to his original copy on his computer (not the network copy that we all had to use), print it out--laborously--over all 40 8.5x11 sheets, only to be all mad that it matched the copy he made 11 months ago . . . Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Which would work, except that the boss would go back to his original copy on his computer (not the network copy that we all had to use), print it out--laborously--over all 40 8.5x11 sheets, only to be all mad that it matched the copy he made 11 months ago . . .
Can't tell you how many teleconferences I've been in where someone starts complaining about the schedule then come to find out, they're looking at the one emailed LAST week or the week before, not the current one. Either that, or they don't know how to read a Gantt chart.
One thing I did for last month versus this month, was to print last month's in greyscale, and this month on the random sheets of overhead transparency stock in full color. That would get stacked and color photcopied to make comparison charts.
You know, when folks (you and I) are going around the software/process to be able to communicate what we need, that tells me the software/process isn't working the way it's supposed to!
Leigh
the software/process isn't working the way it's supposed to!
The reported (jokingly, mostly) method for alpha-testing MS products is to use two test groups, kindergarteners & kindergarten teachers. Any feature rejected, or unused, or found to be too complex by either group is summarily removed.
Like bold or color or font tags in Word, or other typographic info that might be needed or used. As to the "well, everyone uses it, it has to be ok" argument, I can only offer what the european fellow said, until not to long ago, everyone in East germany drove a trabant or a lata--that did not make them european luxury cars . . . Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)