| Author |
Message |
John Biundo (Jbiundo) (67.112.121.112)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 2:46 am: | |
I've recently decided I need to take two "views" of my project. One is the long term: getting the "whole project" done, and another is more short term: getting the bus ready for a maiden voyage (i.e., starting to get some use out of the damn thing before I get too old to drive it ;-)
While focusing on the long term, I didn't have too much difficulty keeping track of what to do next. But since I've started thinking about getting the bus on the road next spring, the planning has gotten more complicated. Making my short term goal requires focusing on the right tasks, in the right order, and deferring things that don't need to be done.
Trying to keep track of all this in a simple list or spreadsheet has gotten a bit complicated, so I thought I'd try to find a cheap and simple project manager program. I've looked around the net a bit, but haven't found anything cheap and simple that keeps track of tasks and their interdependencies and can print out a simple pert diagram (one of those little charts that shows the order in which tasks must be done).
I know I'm a bit of a geek, and this is a long shot, but I was wondering whether anyone has used a program that they'd recommend.
Thanks,
john |
Scott Cavanaugh (66.169.172.144)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 8:07 pm: | |
The only really useful one I found using was MS Project. Not cheap though |
Ross Carlisle (Ross) (207.88.98.58)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 8:23 pm: | |
"I've recently decided I need to take two "views" of my project."
I get too depressed when I look at the big picture. I focus on one small project at a time and enjoy the small victory when each is finished. Eventually all of the small projects will make for a complete bus.
Never thought of tracking the project in software.
Ross
Ross |
Scott Whitney (66.82.9.24)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 20, 2002 - 1:17 am: | |
I just deal with what absolutely has to get done at the moment. First, I absolutely 'had' to have the (replacement) floor in. Then I 'had' to have the genset. Then I 'needed' water tanks. And then a shower was a must. And so on. I just focus on the next important task in front of me. Admittedly, my punch list is pretty big and there are there are many tasks that are 70% done. Almost no task is 100% done. However, the coach is completely usable and comfortable in this state whereas if I had brought every project to 100% completion, I'd probably only have a fraction of the overall functionality that I do now. Looks like a rolling workshop - but all the basic comforts of home are usable.
Scott |
Scott Cavanaugh (66.169.172.144)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 20, 2002 - 8:07 am: | |
I did forget to mention you can make Pert's through MC Powerpoint but MS Project will populate the fields for you. Powerpoint will not. |
Geoff (64.1.0.37)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 20, 2002 - 8:11 am: | |
My feelings are like Ross says-- if you look at the big picture in your mind you are overwhelmed-- you have to concentrate on one task at a time. One thing that really slows the work down is discovering how one project is going to affect another project, so you have to stop on what you started to work on something that has to be prepared before the first job is done. I guess to get over this you have to have done several buses and know what sequence to do everything without having to think about it. Joe Laird told me he had a conversion company do his Eagle and it only took three months-- they showed him several floor plans and once he picked which one he wanted they knew exactly how to put it together quickly with developed plans and blueprints. There is no subsitute for experience, and I don't think a project manager can help in this department.
--Geoff
'82 RTS CA |
Tim Christofferson (Tcmc8) (205.118.9.14)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 20, 2002 - 2:20 pm: | |
Because we seek out this BBS and communicate with each other it is obvious that converting a bus into a mobile living space is something tremendously enjoyable to each of us. Because of our unique personalities, life experiences and what we want to use this metal wrapped space for, we all have similar as well as extremely varied approaches to the compromises that the limited resources of space, time, material and money generate. Having training and experience in using project management techniques and working with people on enumerable projects, I know that how people approach projects is also varied.
On one extreme, some are comfortable with working on small parts here and there. They may have a vague idea of what the completed project should look like, but they only want to deal with what they can see and touch right now. This person is overwhelmed if he/she considers all the details of the project up front. Most of the design is done as the project progresses. (I call this the artistic approach.)
On the other extreme, some want a detailed picture of the final product. No detail is too insignificant to overlook. Wallowing in the minutia is a pleasurable experience. They feel great anxiety if they do not know every detail of the exact outcome they are working towards. All of the design must be done up front. (I call this the super geek approach.)
Most of us fall somewhere in between.
One of the legendary sagas that most project managers learn about in project management school is the construction of the first nuclear submarine. Because the project was in chaos a project manager was called in. This project manager was not an engineer, construction manager, nor a nuclear scientist. However, using project management techniques, the project was finished on time and under budget. Point being: Even if you have never converted a bus before, you can manage it, if you know the process.
My other point is some of us will want to design the conversion as we go and some will get great pleasure in up front design. We can all recognize this and have empathy with each other’s neurotic behaviors. The world needs artists and super geeks. Each time I read someone else’s approach to a problem or opinion on how to do something I am educated as well as entertained. People are fun.
There are expensive project management programs written for large corporations and that run on mainframe computers, but for individuals using microcomputers, MS Project is the only software product that I have found. Since it is not a high demand piece of software Microsoft still charges a lot for it. I am also searching for a less expensive alternative. (I use CAD software for the design.)
Tim C. |
John Biundo (Jbiundo) (67.112.121.112)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 20, 2002 - 4:17 pm: | |
Thanks for all the input.
I agree that the big picture can be overwhelming. Which is precisely the reason I've created a shorter term goal.
Geoff - I think you're right about there being no real substitute for experience. It still surprises me when I think I've got a good "plan" for a bit of work that needs to be done, only to be faced by a series of unforeseen decisions, mistakes, contingencies and options as soon as I begin!
Nevertheless, I always "feel" better (to Tom's point, and I admit being a geek) when I go through some sort of planning. And further to Geoff's point, the interdependencies are where you really can get waylaid. Another area I've found that can eat up time is when I fail to research, shop for, and order some item with sufficient lead time for when I'll need it.
So, after alot of thinking, a basic project managment technique of analyzing and laying out the tasks, and understanding their interdependencies, is time well spent for me. Which I *was* doing on paper, but now I feel that to improve my chances of meeting my shorter term goal of getting mobile, I'd like to capture this in a program.
I've purchased one program (Turbo Project) and downloaded evaluation copies of several others. If people are interested, I'll be glad to share my experiences here. If anyone's interested, I could also try to make some of the charts and schedules available to look at.
Cheers,
john |
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