After entering all of the tasks in project management software, take a look at your resource allocation. Sometimes, it is better to address the over allocation before publishing the project schedule instead of asking your team members to work overtime down the road.
Delay the task: Look for slacks in the schedule to determine if you can reschedule the task without affecting the critical path.
Split the task: Similar to delaying the task but only for a portion of it.
Don’t do the task: Is the task a need or a want? If the latter, then either put it out of scope or move it to another phase.
Get additional resources: Depending on the project constraints, additional resources can help reduce the over allocation.
Use experienced resources: If possible, replace junior resources with experienced staff to finish the tasks faster.
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Base Calendar: Serves as a template for project, resource and task calendars. Basic format includes Standard (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., one hour for lunch and off on weekends), 24-Hours and Night Shift. Adjust the base calendar if your company works less than 40 hours per week. Statutory holidays can also be defined in the Base Calendar.
Use the UID Technique, Rule of 1/3 and Huge Hurdle Method to tackle your top tasks.
The most common task constraint, As Soon As Possible (ASAP), will work for most dependencies. Essentially, by default, Task B will start immediately after the completion of Task A.
In orienteering, you need to know where you are and where you need to go in order to succeed. The same principles apply when rescuing troubled projects.
