Comments for Rule of Thumb http://rule-of-thumb.net A project manager's log book Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:05:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 Comment on Extracting Microsoft Project Timephased Data by Sašo http://rule-of-thumb.net/2008/07/23/extracting-ms-project-timephased-data/#comment-67 Sašo Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:51:04 +0000 http://cespov-njok.com/wp-beta/?p=290#comment-67 Let me know, where exactly does macro crash. It will highlight the line with yellow. What does the error message say? Let me know, where exactly does macro crash. It will highlight the line with yellow.

What does the error message say?

]]> Comment on Extracting Microsoft Project Timephased Data by Michael Singleton http://rule-of-thumb.net/2008/07/23/extracting-ms-project-timephased-data/#comment-66 Michael Singleton Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:31:58 +0000 http://cespov-njok.com/wp-beta/?p=290#comment-66 How do I call this? Using it as a macro simply throws an error. How do I call this? Using it as a macro simply throws an error.

]]> Comment on Random Numbers Out of Triangular Distribution by Sašo http://rule-of-thumb.net/2008/09/06/random-numbers-out-of-triangular-distribution/#comment-44 Sašo Fri, 26 Sep 2008 08:29:48 +0000 http://rule-of-thumb.net/?p=51#comment-44 Timm, of course I agree with that domain knowledge improves estimates, but at different stages of the project you can expect different levels of expertise. At the initial concept of a project you don't know yet, whether a task of hitting a golf ball will be included in a plan or not. Example. You're planning Olympic Games and you need to fire the olympic flame in the opening ceremony. It might be by fire golf ball hit by Tiger Woods or it might be in any other way. Before you come to this level of detail, there will be hundred checkpoints where different level of estimates will be required. When you apply for the host of the Olympics, you need to provide a cost estimate. You don't ask Tiger Woods how far can he drive the ball at this stage. Steve McConnell talks about <a href="http://www.construx.com/Page.aspx?hid=1648" rel="nofollow">The Cone of Uncertainty</a>. It charts the level of uncertainty depending on the time / phase into the project. The bottom line is that every estimate should be made by three points. Uncertainty involved in the estimate should be defined by the width of the range. Much more important than the width of the estimate is the probability, that the outcome will be inside the range. Using percentile estimates expands the ranges so that they at least to some extent cover for "out of range" errors in estimates. Timm, of course I agree with that domain knowledge improves estimates, but at different stages of the project you can expect different levels of expertise. At the initial concept of a project you don’t know yet, whether a task of hitting a golf ball will be included in a plan or not.

Example. You’re planning Olympic Games and you need to fire the olympic flame in the opening ceremony. It might be by fire golf ball hit by Tiger Woods or it might be in any other way. Before you come to this level of detail, there will be hundred checkpoints where different level of estimates will be required. When you apply for the host of the Olympics, you need to provide a cost estimate. You don’t ask Tiger Woods how far can he drive the ball at this stage.

Steve McConnell talks about The Cone of Uncertainty. It charts the level of uncertainty depending on the time / phase into the project.

The bottom line is that every estimate should be made by three points. Uncertainty involved in the estimate should be defined by the width of the range.

Much more important than the width of the estimate is the probability, that the outcome will be inside the range. Using percentile estimates expands the ranges so that they at least to some extent cover for “out of range” errors in estimates.

]]> Comment on Random Numbers Out of Triangular Distribution by R. Timm http://rule-of-thumb.net/2008/09/06/random-numbers-out-of-triangular-distribution/#comment-42 R. Timm Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:04:53 +0000 http://rule-of-thumb.net/?p=51#comment-42 Great Blog. I ran across this looking for VBA Macros to Export Project Data to Excel. I disagree with the example claiming that folks are bad cost estimators / PMs if they cannot create an upper and lower bound around information they know nothing about. You have to do the research first by communicating with the engineers / experts. If you ask a golfer to put a 3 point estimate around how far Tiger Woods will drive the ball you will likely get a decent range. If you ask someone who has never heard of the game they aren't going to provide a very good estimate. Great Blog. I ran across this looking for VBA Macros to Export Project Data to Excel. I disagree with the example claiming that folks are bad cost estimators / PMs if they cannot create an upper and lower bound around information they know nothing about. You have to do the research first by communicating with the engineers / experts.

If you ask a golfer to put a 3 point estimate around how far Tiger Woods will drive the ball you will likely get a decent range. If you ask someone who has never heard of the game they aren’t going to provide a very good estimate.

]]> Comment on Time for Project Portfolio Management? by Dan http://rule-of-thumb.net/2008/09/23/time-for-project-portfolio-management/#comment-40 Dan Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:22:06 +0000 http://rule-of-thumb.net/?p=52#comment-40 If you'd like a tool for managing your time and projects, you can use this application: http://www.Gtdagenda.com You can use it to manage and prioritize your goals, projects and tasks, set next actions and contexts, use checklists, schedules and a calendar. A mobile version and iCal are available too. If you’d like a tool for managing your time and projects, you can use this application:

http://www.Gtdagenda.com

You can use it to manage and prioritize your goals, projects and tasks, set next actions and contexts, use checklists, schedules and a calendar.
A mobile version and iCal are available too.

]]> Comment on More on Resource Workload and Costs in Microsoft Project by Rule of Thumb » OPEX and CAPEX Cost Reporting from Microsoft Project http://rule-of-thumb.net/2008/08/27/more-on-resource-workload-and-costs-in-microsoft-project/#comment-23 Rule of Thumb » OPEX and CAPEX Cost Reporting from Microsoft Project Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:51:33 +0000 http://rule-of-thumb.net/?p=45#comment-23 [...] the previous post I showed how to designate a field in Microsoft Project to hold cost type information and how to [...] [...] the previous post I showed how to designate a field in Microsoft Project to hold cost type information and how to [...]

]]> Comment on Microsoft Project Resource Assignments from Microsoft Access by Rule of Thumb » Slicing and Dicing Resource Costs in MS Project http://rule-of-thumb.net/2008/08/12/ms-project-resource-assignments-from-ms-access/#comment-10 Rule of Thumb » Slicing and Dicing Resource Costs in MS Project Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:16:45 +0000 http://rule-of-thumb.net/?p=36#comment-10 [...] From MSP_ASSIGNMENTS you can get work and cost of each assignment and by linking it to MSP_RESOURCES, you get resource names and standard rates. Resource groups (if needed) are stored in MSF_TEXT_FIELDS and you’ll need MSP_CONVERSIONS as well. Details on getting resource groups can be found in previous post. [...] [...] From MSP_ASSIGNMENTS you can get work and cost of each assignment and by linking it to MSP_RESOURCES, you get resource names and standard rates. Resource groups (if needed) are stored in MSF_TEXT_FIELDS and you’ll need MSP_CONVERSIONS as well. Details on getting resource groups can be found in previous post. [...]

]]> Comment on Creating Database Query in Microsoft Excel by Rule of Thumb » MS Project Resource Assignments from MS Access http://rule-of-thumb.net/2008/07/16/creating-database-query-in-ms-excel/#comment-9 Rule of Thumb » MS Project Resource Assignments from MS Access Tue, 12 Aug 2008 08:03:49 +0000 http://cespov-njok.com/wp-beta/?p=253#comment-9 [...] you’re stuck, read the post on how to create a query in MS Excel. By Sašo in Uncategorized  You can follow any responses to this entry through the [...] [...] you’re stuck, read the post on how to create a query in MS Excel. By Sašo in Uncategorized  You can follow any responses to this entry through the [...]

]]> Comment on Resource Assignments in Microsoft Project by Rule of Thumb » MS Project Resource Assignments from MS Access http://rule-of-thumb.net/2008/07/22/resource-assignments-in-ms-project/#comment-8 Rule of Thumb » MS Project Resource Assignments from MS Access Tue, 12 Aug 2008 07:59:11 +0000 http://cespov-njok.com/wp-beta/?p=284#comment-8 [...] know you didn’t bother with monster SQL SELECT and instead waited for me to come up with something chewable. And here it is. We reached the limits [...] [...] know you didn’t bother with monster SQL SELECT and instead waited for me to come up with something chewable. And here it is. We reached the limits [...]

]]> Comment on Monte Carlo Simulation with Microsoft Project by Glen B. Alleman http://rule-of-thumb.net/2008/07/29/monte-carlo-simulation-with-ms-project/#comment-7 Glen B. Alleman Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:40:25 +0000 http://rule-of-thumb.net/?p=35#comment-7 Jacks MCS is a handy startin point to show how variance impacts the duration. The next step up is Risk+ which has now been reduced in price to be usable for commerical application ~$700. It provides Latin HyperCube random number generation which is critical for decoupling the durations and isolating the crutiality of the near critical path network. But Jack's code is the best place to start to get a handle in the concepts of Monte Carlo. Jacks MCS is a handy startin point to show how variance impacts the duration. The next step up is Risk+ which has now been reduced in price to be usable for commerical application ~$700. It provides Latin HyperCube random number generation which is critical for decoupling the durations and isolating the crutiality of the near critical path network.
But Jack’s code is the best place to start to get a handle in the concepts of Monte Carlo.

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