[[[a]]]Project Planning. Timing Parameters of Tasks.¶

[[[b]]] In this video, we will create a working schedule in Cerebro[[[c]]] and examine the timing parameters of tasks[[[d]]] that are used during project planning.[[[e]]]

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As an example, let us look at creating[[[f]]] advertising booklets for the marketing department.[[[g]]] After having created the task structure[[[h]]] and specified links between tasks, the next step is[[[i]]] to set up timing parameters.[[[j]]]

Note that whenever possible, Cerebro tries to[[[k]]] arrange tasks on the time line,[[[l]]] taking into account their interdependencies.[[[m]]] This is why, as soon as we specify the links between tasks,[[[n]]] the Gantt chart automatically[[[o]]] shows a calendar-based schedule for the entire project.[[[p]]]

However, the picture that we see[[[q]]] is not quite realistic: task completion is planned as if[[[r]]] the company’s employees worked around the clock[[[s]]] and with no days off, which, in all likelihood, is not the case.[[[t]]]

Working Schedule[[[u]]]¶

In order to correctly set up the relationship[[[v]]] between calendar dates for the start and finish[[[w]]] of each task and planned man-hours,[[[x]]] Cerebro implements the concept of a working schedule.[[[y]]] Planned durations of each task[[[z]]] are superimposed onto this schedule.[[[a]]]

Note that creating and editing[[[b]]] working schedules is a feature available[[[c]]] only to users with administrator access to Cerebro.[[[d]]]

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To open the working schedule editor,[[[e]]] go to “Tools / Working Schedules” from the main menu.[[[f]]] In the window that opens, let us create[[[g]]] a schedule of working hours that would apply to every employee.[[[h]]] To accomplish this, press the new schedule button,[[[i]]] give the schedule a name, scroll over to the moment[[[j]]] in the past when it should take effect, in a way that ensures[[[k]]] that all the existing tasks are covered.[[[l]]] After you pick the new schedule out of the list, you can[[[m]]] edit the working time on the weekly schedule on the right.[[[n]]] All you need to do is use the left mouse button to draw business hours[[[o]]], and the right mouse button to draw the non-working hours.[[[p]]]

To apply the working schedule to the calculation[[[q]]] of task duration, you need to specify the users[[[r]]] who work on this schedule.[[[s]]] If you wish to create a generic schedule[[[t]]] that would be applied to all tasks by default,[[[u]]] you should assign the so-called[[[v]]] “Generic” user to it. The “Generic” user is a special item[[[w]]] in the list of users you can see at the bottom of the window,[[[x]]] and it actually refers to the “default user”.[[[y]]]

Once you have finished editing the working schedule,[[[z]]] remember to press the button at the bottom of the window[[[a]]] to recalculate the duration of tasks.[[[b]]] Back in Cerebro’s main window, we can make sure[[[c]]] that the timing of tasks has been[[[d]]] adjusted to take into account the schedule we have just set up.[[[e]]]

Planned Time[[[f]]]¶

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If you have set up links in the structure of tasks to reflect[[[g]]] all relevant dependencies between them,[[[h]]] all that is left to do is go through the table[[[i]]] and enter the planned duration for each task.[[[j]]] This should result in a realistic[[[k]]] calendar-based plan for the entire project section[[[l]]] that deals with booklet design.[[[m]]]

And so, during your planning stage, you can[[[n]]] estimate how long[[[o]]] the entire project and each of its stages are going to take.[[[p]]] You can also visualize complex top-level tasks,[[[q]]] so you understand what contributes to their duration,[[[r]]] as well as the duration of the project as a whole, and to see[[[s]]] whether there is a way to reduce the total time by reducing[[[t]]] the duration of specific sub-tasks, running some of the work in parallel, and so on.[[[u]]]

If you need to further adjust[[[v]]] any of the time parameters, you can manually[[[w]]] edit them for specific tasks.[[[x]]]

The following principle applies to manual editing:[[[y]]] any of the characteristics specified by hand[[[z]]] are considered fixed, and the system[[[a]]] cannot change them during future automatic recalculations.[[[b]]] Visually, this is depicted[[[c]]] as engaging a lock, which is shown as a white square[[[d]]] underneath the corresponding task line on the chart or a button in the properties editor.[[[e]]]

For instance, if you drag the line representing the task with a mouse,[[[f]]] its start time on the Gantt chart will be pinned[[[g]]], and if you try to stretch the line,[[[h]]] the task duration lock will turn on.[[[i]]]

You can always restore[[[j]]] the automatic recalculation mode for these parameters.[[[k]]] All you need to do is turn off[[[l]]] the corresponding lock.[[[m]]]