Forum OpenACS Development: Re: dotWRK: Project Manager

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Posted by Torben Brosten on
Hi Jade,

Here's my two bits, given my varied project management experience dealing with external client projects.

Should tasks be hierarchical?

Yes, the smallest WBS unit is essentially a task or resource unit. Some tasks consist of a host of other tasks, and therefore the WBS. Given that the resources (labor and materials) are classified hierarchically. Tasks are essentially classified hierarchically by WBS and Resource classifications.

"I seriously doubt that people would accept numbers like 132.417.3135.31 as a unique identifier for a Task."

I haven't found an external client who uses the x.x.x.x reference(though we do internally).  Still, its the most flexible system that's worked for all cases I've come accross. I actually thought I addressed external references above, but  it  looks  like it didn't make  it to the message from my draft. =(

The reference tables (WBS and Resource categorization) can (and most likely will) include a third column that represents the custom reference system. Usually this is an existing reference system that people are used to using, and perhaps has some logic beyond the WBS. For instance, in a manufacturing company, a part "3507" might have many variations. "A3507" might be the assembly. "3507" might be a welded part (of some other parts). There might be other parametric variations such as "A3507-150-6" that might mean cut to 150 cm and meeting number 6 standard specs etc. etc.  These can all be represented as the WBS "title" for each node.

The third "title" column for each hierarchical reference allows dotProject to work within most any existing framework.
Projects and Tasks

These are considered different animals. A project consists of tasks, and a "program" consists of many projects. Tasks are unit-based, and do not generally have the granualarity within the same project environment or else they would be  projects in their own right.

WBS is a "to do" action list according to James P. Lewis, a pm expert.

The deliverables (measured milestones) are handled in a separate tracking list.

I don't have a clue which package(s) can be used for starters (yet).