Hi All,

The new release of X-Pert (release 3.5) from Micro Planning International Ltd now offers Pert Estimating of durations, eg Pessimistic, Most Likely and Optimistic and offers a calculated value - based on those three.

You can run analysis, of the whole project, with any of the duration estimates uniquely for the three different duration values.
So you can run a truly optimistic or pessimistic schedule
and even compare the results of those schedules by putting one into an archive.
Great way to get a sense of the uncertainty in your project. Great way to develop best case and worst case scenarios.

Cheers
John

That’s the one thanks Chris.

Andy

Hi guyz,

Check this classic method.comments are awaited;

Duration required = Total mandays required/ men per day

Total mandays = Total quantity/production rate

Men per day should be determined from the following two conditions;
1. Space restriction
2. Overall time restriction

Thanks,

How about taking 3 of your estimates and doing a simple PERT analysis on them.

See This >>> PERT description.

This is essentially the basis for Monte Carlo analysis, but you can use it as a tie breaker on individual estimates for a specific activity

Andy

Other factors you need to consider:

Is the programme time driven or resource driven.

There are some projects (i.e. offshore projects) which are resource driven, it means you have limited resources usually based on the number of beds or accommodation they can provide offshore. In this case, the duration will be dictated by the number of resources you have.

On the other hand, Time driven programme means you have unlimited number of resources and the only constraint is space. You can breakdown the task into multiple activities and assign multiple resources or gangs to complete the task given. However, there are some task which are progressive in nature. It means only one gang can be assigned to complete the task progressing from one end to the other.(i.e. Roofing).

Cheers,
Daniel

Actually for most activities durations shall be calculated by PM software and not entered manually.
Duration shall be calculated basing on activity type, quantity of work to be done (activity volume), assigned resource types and quantities, and resource assignment productivity norms (production rates).
Resources can be assigned manually or chosen by the software if project planner assigned not individual resources but resource skills. In the last case activity duration can be calculated only in the levelling process because resources may have the same skills but different productivities.