MS Project for Support Related Task?

Member for

21 years 3 months

Resource library is something you could say list of available resources that you can share with multiple projects. Here suppose you have different tickets from from different projects(software)then you can creat different schedule for each project and link with the resource library. Then you can analyse your resource availability to alocate for new tickets.

Member for

20 years 6 months

Hi Raj,



Thanks for your hints.



Do you mean start a brand new (blank) project with available Resource assigned, and then start entering task (Production Support Ticket) to it and then track the resource from there? (I never think of it that way!)



What do you mean by Resource Library?



Thanks,

Jarvis

Member for

21 years 3 months

Jarvis,

I don’t know if you have found any software that would help you to develop your schedule.

If I understood correctly, you mean that once job comes (production support issue the ticket)your responcibility is to assign the resource to do it?

I think you can manage this with MSP or any other planning tool, I know that there is no straight way to do it but you could do using your skill and analysis with the available software.

With MSP, You should start with resource library then start listing the production support tickets issued and then assign resource. Before assigning resources you can check resource distribution.

I don’t know if this would going to help becasue I never worked for Software Industry.

Member for

20 years 6 months

Philip,



Thanks for your response. I feel the same way! That’s why I raised my question here hoping to get somebody’s opinion, who has uses MSP to manage the type of tasks that I was talking about.



To be honest, I found MSP not the right answer for my situation, and I would like to confirm my thought.



Thanks,

Jarvis

Member for

20 years 11 months

Hi Jarvis,

I Think I understand your problem. In the past, I have had various experiences with MSP, the most amazing was a project where we had to use the software despite the fact it could not handle the job, and we decided to bring in an MSP wizard, when we spoke about manhours, this wizard was clueless. MSP was developed for a niche in the marketplace, as a result it cannot perform, the basics required by normal project scheduling, when it comes to bigger stuff, hence, horses for courses.



When you work in the production industry, there is specific software for the purpose, and the same with projects. Do not think one tool is the answer to all questions. The problem is cost related, as the better tools is more expensive, due to the limited markets, and the amount of effort of input into the software. Decide whether you want a Porsche or a Volkswagen beetle.



Regards

Member for

20 years 6 months

Hi there,



Thank you for your efford and help. I think you don’t really understand my question and you probably didn’t work in the Software industry. Thanks for your help though.

Member for

20 years 7 months

The best way is discuss with your manager and engineers. Get them to brief you on the work sequences. Use this information to develop the preliminary schedule.



Once completed, print and circulate to your manager and engineers for their feedback. You got to do this few times to improvise and finalise the schedule.

Member for

20 years 6 months

I get to that link already. None of those templates suit my needs... Are there any other place that provides sample template?

Member for

20 years 6 months

Thank you for your response. I had been searching through the net to try to find some sample Project Plan files that show how to efficiently setup Software Support Related Task. But I didn’t have much luck.... Can you point me to some resource that I can see some samples?



Thanks,

Jarvis

Member for

20 years 7 months

Yes. MS Project is an user friendly tool. It is easy to setup the system and develop the schedule, as long as you keep the schedule simple.



If the task is to long i.e. 200 hours, then try to work out some details. Apply summary bar followed by detail tasks.

Member for

20 years 6 months

My question is relate to Production Software Support. For example when user raise an issue, a production support ticket will be created for me to assign resources to resolve the issue. Do you think MS Project is suitable to plan and track this type of task?

Member for

20 years 7 months

Hi Jarvis,



Production Support Related Task. Could you please elaborate about this project. Is it construction related work or production planning in industrial plant.



May be it will give some clear picture to other PP’ers and can give you a proper advise.



Regards.