Project 2010 Bible

Chapter 10. Resolving Scheduling Problems

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Identifying scheduling problems

• Resolving scheduling conflicts

• Using the critical path to shorten a project

Scheduling conflicts are the bane of the project manager's existence. By and large, scheduling conflicts typically fall into one of two categories:

• Your project is taking longer than you had planned.

• Your resources are over assigned.

This chapter considers the first problem and focuses on identifying and then resolving scheduling problems; Chapter 11 focuses on the second problem.

Identifying Scheduling Problems

Scheduling conflicts announce themselves in a number of ways. Changing views and filtering information by using the techniques described in Chapters 6 and 7 may identify some glaring problem inherent in your original logic. For example, if you filter your project to view only incomplete tasks or slipping tasks, you may spot some problems. Or, you might unknowingly create a problem by using a task constraint, as explained later in this chapter.

In addition to views and reports, Project contains two features you can use to help you identify scheduling problems:

• Warnings and Suggestions

• The Task Inspector

Working with Warnings and Suggestions

Manually scheduled tasks offer you complete control over a task's dates. For example, if a task is delayed, Project won't move out manually scheduled successor tasks automatically, because doing so would introduce the possibility of unintentionally creating scheduling conflicts. You, as ...