Managing Schedules in Workamajig
There are several different tools that are needed to successfully manage the schedules of an agency. Each agency will manage its schedules in its own way and will need different levels of detail.
Task Assignment Styles
Simple Schedules
These agencies are really not using schedules for timelines and resource-leveling because the work they do may not require it or it may be too much overhead. Mainly they are interested in certain key milestone due dates and may have several to do type items for each milestone to complete.
Example: A simple schedule could be where the project has only one task. Then everyone is assigned to the task, yet they have no service/role assigned. Each user can then choose the service when entering their time via the My Task Widget. This is typical of smaller agencies or quick schedules that are due in a few days or even hours.
Complex Schedules, Team is known
This would be the most prototypical type agency and the way you would think that a project is run. Typically the projects are longer in duration (over a week in length) and have several people assigned to the project and the people involved are known at the beginning of the project.
Example: A complex schedule would be where you have multiple tasks all linked as predecessors to create a timeline of events to occur. Then each task will have a predefined assignment(s) set to a role/service with allocated time. The user is then added when you have a team member with the matching role/service and is also on the approved estimate, to which you can now auto-assign the user(s) based on the estimate and team. The team then uses the My Task widget and enters time to the task and role/service assigned before them.
Complex Schedules, Team is not known at the start
These type of projects are often longer running and involve doing work that can be given to anyone of several people in the agency. As the work comes up to be done, a traffic person would assess who has time to do the work and assign it to someone with the necessary skills.
Example: Another complex schedule could be where you have multiple tasks all linked as predecessors to create a timeline of events to occur. Then each task will have a predefined assignment(s) set to a role/service with allocated time. Then you assign a user to each assignment from one of the Traffic Calendars based on the availability and timing of the tasks. The team then uses the My Task widget and enters time to the task and role/service assigned before them.
Traffic Management Styles
All of some of these styles appear to exist in every agency.
Manage by Due Date
Based on the type of organization and the workflows used, people self-manage and determine what to work on next based on the due date and general communication with others around them.
Manage by Priority or Hot List
A traffic manager or project managers assign a shortlist of must-do items for people to work on. This is typically given out weekly and updated daily. But it is mostly a set of things to focus on for the week.
Daily Task List
Some people need a bit more management. On a daily basis (and sometimes hourly) the traffic manager tells people what they are working on and for how long.
Additional Resources
There are tools within Workamajig to handle each of these different styles of task assignment and traffic management styles. Review each of the following topics to get an understanding of the different tools in Workamajig and how they are designed to fit together.