Re: [Planner Dev] Ideas to Solve Resource Overload Problem

[Lincoln Phipps <lincoln phipps openmutual net>]

Uros Platise wrote:

>
>             Ideas to Solve Resource Overload Problem
>
> 1 Resource Overload Problem
>
> Present state does not use the priority field but it
> could be effectivelly used in sorting the tasks.


Yup - thats what I'm hoping is possible to use now that
Planner supports recording a priority value.
I've logged a bugzilla,
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=139443
to track this but have been delayed due to other
pressures.


> let us look at the example:
>
> Given two tasks, being processed by the same resource,
> A and B, where A exists in time range [t0, t1] and B is
> also within that interval. Imagine that A is a large
> task, all together several weeks (of course, it may
> have many sub-tasks) and B is an intermediate task, the
> same resource has to do on some other project.
>
>  From the resource point of view, presently it is
> difficult to describe this situation, since it would
> yield resource overload for the time interval B
> resides. In order to avoid resource overload, it would
> be necessary to split the task A into two parts, which
> is not always very easy, specially when it consist of
> several sub-tasks.


It also gets very messy when we have multiple resources
allocated to tasks and only 1 resource is overloaded.
Not nice to delay or split a task because of one person
but sometimes this may be neccessary e.g. if for safety
reasons ALL resources must be working on the task.

>
> 2 Priority Schedulling
>
> Naturally for one resource it is hardly to work on two
> tasks as are A and B, but it is more common that one
> resource would focus all the energy to the task B, when
> it has higher priority, and then return to task A.
> Thus, priority could provide an extra and effecient
> mechanism in sorting the task.
>
> Whenever priority condition is detected, tasks with
> lower priority should have lengthen their duration time
> for the period spent by higher priority tasks.


Yup - see my attached functional spec note on this against
the bugzilla http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=139443


>
> 3 Resource Equalization
>
> When two tasks are of equal priority have again face to
> the same problem, how to organize resources. I purpose
> an additional check-box assigned to task properties, to
> equalize resource load (thus to prevent resource
> overflow). For example, let us assume that A and B have
> the same priorities and defined in time range as above.
> If B has turned the check box "equalize resource" it
> means that within that time interval B exists, resource
> would be equalized. Further if this box is checked for
> taks A, it would equalize resources in the time
> interval A exists.
>
> Equalization works on the base of resource units. For
> example, user John is set 100 units to task A and 50
> units to task B, after equalization this yields 100/150 units
> for task A and 50/150 units for task B. After calculating
> effective units, it is possible to update the duration
> time. Note that resource equalization works as a local
> change in units in some time interval of some task, and
> not globaly as the parameter given besides the user in
> the resource assignment menu.


Yup , though I call it shared resource task split.
In my document I write it as if its just 100% or 0 % but it
can in fact be any value in between and I should go back and
rewrite this section (3.4.2) and the pro-rata allocations (3.4.4) .

>
> 4 GUI Requirements
>
> Present GUI can successfully handle everything. I
> propose two check boxes to be added into the Task
> Properties / General TAB. These are:
>
> * Priority Based Schedulling Check-Box
>
> * Resource Equalization Check-Box
>
> The first is used to turn on priority schedulling and
> thus provide 100% backward compliance, and the second
> for turning on the resource equalization mechanism.
> Further the last check-box also provides a way to
> describe the overtime of some resource by unchecking
> it. For example, when A and B would have this box
> unchecked they describe the state as in present
> software, meaning resource overload - overtime, but let
> us add task C, which is just like B. The manager may
> choose, that B shall be done in overtime and C in
> normal time, as it is not that critical.
>
> In the Gantt Chart the task area that has been lengthen
> by other higher priority task could have white back
> colour, but this is not so important now.


I was proposing a dotted line (if it was interupted ) or a
pinched task bar design (if it was just reduced in resources).

>
>
> Regards,
>   Uros
>
>

Uros - I've attached my DRAFT functional spec. I was working
on this but as I'm moving house its very much work in
progress so its only 1/2 complete. I think its time for me to
send it out even in its raw state just to show where I'm up
to on this.

Pity we can't just collaborate on this online like with some
wikiweb. Hey maybe Imendio can run a wiki for us (with
contributor login for security) ?

My document if OpenOffice for cross-platform ;)

It isn't an easy problem to cover all eventualities for
this resource levelling stuff.


Rgds,
Lincoln.

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> Planner-dev mailing list
> Planner-dev lists imendio com
> http://lists.imendio.com/mailman/listinfo/planner-dev Uros Platise wrote:

>
>             Ideas to Solve Resource Overload Problem
>
> 1 Resource Overload Problem
>
> Present state does not use the priority field but it
> could be effectivelly used in sorting the tasks.


Yup - thats what I'm hoping is possible to use now that
Planner supports recording a priority value.
I've logged a bugzilla,
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=139443
to track this but have been delayed due to other
pressures.

First

> let us look at the example:
>
> Given two tasks, being processed by the same resource,
> A and B, where A exists in time range [t0, t1] and B is
> also within that interval. Imagine that A is a large
> task, all together several weeks (of course, it may
> have many sub-tasks) and B is an intermediate task, the
> same resource has to do on some other project.
>
>  From the resource point of view, presently it is
> difficult to describe this situation, since it would
> yield resource overload for the time interval B
> resides. In order to avoid resource overload, it would
> be necessary to split the task A into two parts, which
> is not always very easy, specially when it consist of
> several sub-tasks.


It also gets very messy when we have multiple resources
allocated to tasks and only 1 resource is overloaded.
Not nice to delay or split a task because of one person
but sometimes this may be neccessary e.g. if for safety
reasons ALL resources must be working on the task.

>
> 2 Priority Schedulling
>
> Naturally for one resource it is hardly to work on two
> tasks as are A and B, but it is more common that one
> resource would focus all the energy to the task B, when
> it has higher priority, and then return to task A.
> Thus, priority could provide an extra and effecient
> mechanism in sorting the task.
>
> Whenever priority condition is detected, tasks with
> lower priority should have lengthen their duration time
> for the period spent by higher priority tasks.


Yup - see my attached note on this (incomplete !!!)

>
> 3 Resource Equalization
>
> When two tasks are of equal priority have again face to
> the same problem, how to organize resources. I purpose
> an additional check-box assigned to task properties, to
> equalize resource load (thus to prevent resource
> overflow). For example, let us assume that A and B have
> the same priorities and defined in time range as above.
> If B has turned the check box "equalize resource" it
> means that within that time interval B exists, resource
> would be equalized. Further if this box is checked for
> taks A, it would equalize resources in the time
> interval A exists.
>
> Equalization works on the base of resource units. For
> example, user John is set 100 units to task A and 50
> units to task B, after equalization this yields 100/150 units
> for task A and 50/150 units for task B. After calculating
> effective units, it is possible to update the duration
> time. Note that resource equalization works as a local
> change in units in some time interval of some task, and
> not globaly as the parameter given besides the user in
> the resource assignment menu.


Yup , though I call it shared resource task split.
In my document I write it as if its just 100% or 0 % but it
can in fact be any value in between and I should go back and
rewrite this section (3.4.2) and the pro-rata allocations (3.4.4) .

>
> 4 GUI Requirements
>
> Present GUI can successfully handle everything. I
> propose two check boxes to be added into the Task
> Properties / General TAB. These are:
>
> * Priority Based Schedulling Check-Box
>
> * Resource Equalization Check-Box
>
> The first is used to turn on priority schedulling and
> thus provide 100% backward compliance, and the second
> for turning on the resource equalization mechanism.
> Further the last check-box also provides a way to
> describe the overtime of some resource by unchecking
> it. For example, when A and B would have this box
> unchecked they describe the state as in present
> software, meaning resource overload - overtime, but let
> us add task C, which is just like B. The manager may
> choose, that B shall be done in overtime and C in
> normal time, as it is not that critical.
>
> In the Gantt Chart the task area that has been lengthen
> by other higher priority task could have white back
> colour, but this is not so important now.


I was proposing a dotted line (if it was interupted ) or a
pinched task bar design (if it was just reduced in resources).

>
>
> Regards,
>   Uros
>
>

Uros - I've attached my DRAFT functional spec to bugzilla,
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=139443

as attachment,
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/attachment.cgi?id=30998&action=view

Save that as an OpenOffice SXW file.

I was working on this but as I'm moving house its very much work
in progress so its only 1/2 complete. I think its time for me to
send it out even in its raw state just to show where I'm up
to on this.

Pity we can't just collaborate on this online like with some
wikiweb. Hey maybe Imendio can run a wiki for us (with
contributor login for security) ?

It isn't an easy problem to cover all eventualities for
this resource levelling stuff.


Rgds,
Lincoln.

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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> Planner-dev mailing list
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