Task timing based on resource occupany
I would like to formulate a feature request similar to what Mark B. raised as a question earlier in the forum (see here). Assume an existing task structure with several tasks assigned to a single resource for simplicity. These tasks are linked to each other (predecessor tasks in Gantt) and all have medium priority (say 5). Their exact timing depends on the duration/end time of the predecessor tasks and can change if needed. Now comes an additional urgent task (prio 1) for the same resource with a defined time window that is parallel to the existing tasks (for all tasks resource occupancy is 100%).
Current situation: The task is put in parallel to the existing structure and the "resource diagram" in the Gantt view shows a 200% (over-)load of the resource - if you care to check the resource diagram which mostly does not happen early enough. But even if you actively do, the check and subsequent adaptation is a heap of work and hinders us from properly using Mindmanager at the moment since we have a lot of short notice, high-urgency tasks overlaying long-term background tasks.
Desired situation: Mindmanager realizes that the resource is overbooked and offers options:
- Finish the current (lower-prio) task and squeeze in the new high-pri task afterwards (suggest a new start date/time for new high-pri task)
- Interrupt the current low-prio task for the duration of the new high-pri task and add the remaining time of the current task as a sub-task after the high-pri task (could be solved by increasing "Dauer" of the low-prio task only as well, allowing for resource idle time for the duration of the high-pri task - as long as resource occupancy is not always averaged over the task duration)
- In case current task has higher priority than the new one, suggest new start date after finishing the last existing higher priority task
As a quick remedy, at least a warning should be issued if resources are overbooked by current time planning? The same functionality would also help to solve Mark's initial problem.
I like this idea
Dealing with short term high urgency tasks against a background of a pre-planned project is more of a project management issue than something that can be solved with technical features. There will always be special cases that are not exactly covered. I would suggest that longer term projects are planned at reduced load to allow for unexpected tasks, and that a Kanban system is used for tasks instead of working to a precise schedule.
Dealing with short term high urgency tasks against a background of a pre-planned project is more of a project management issue than something that can be solved with technical features. There will always be special cases that are not exactly covered. I would suggest that longer term projects are planned at reduced load to allow for unexpected tasks, and that a Kanban system is used for tasks instead of working to a precise schedule.
I fully agree and for small 'spontanueos' tasks I believe that is what everyone would do, too. Nevertheless, I have experienced it as quite common that higher urgency tasks or even projects come in and one would need to know by how much the end of the original project would be delayed or if it is possible at all to make both in time, respectively if one had to cut other aspects. These workflows cannot be covered with the current solutions.
I fully agree and for small 'spontanueos' tasks I believe that is what everyone would do, too. Nevertheless, I have experienced it as quite common that higher urgency tasks or even projects come in and one would need to know by how much the end of the original project would be delayed or if it is possible at all to make both in time, respectively if one had to cut other aspects. These workflows cannot be covered with the current solutions.
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