Basic PTM - Critical Path Project

NewbProjectTamer (11:49:08 AM): hey ProjectCynic, its NewbProjectTamer, i have a question about the calendar/critical path assignment

ProjectCynic (11:49:20 AM): k

NewbProjectTamer (11:50:31 AM): right now, i have it scheduled so that one person does all the labor and a second person is only used if a task requires 2 people as per my estimate, should i leave it like that or should i reschedule the labor so 2 people can work on 2 tasks simultaneously?

ProjectCynic (11:51:25 AM): all things being equal, you want everyone you have to always be working

NewbProjectTamer (11:53:07 AM): okay, and also, microsoft project is highliting my critical path only for a few tasks near the end, doesn't the critical path have to trace a single route from start to finish? is there any way i can get ms project to fix this or let me highlite the path manually?

ProjectCynic (11:55:10 AM): the critical path goes from "start" to "finish" so something is squirrelly there. It could just be graphic and confusing. You can use the drawing tools to cloodge something on there manually, but I am unaware of any way in MS Project's CPM view to change what it decides is the critical path

ProjectCynic (11:55:23 AM): it is however like CAD only doing what you tell it to

ProjectCynic (11:55:43 AM): so I would check the predecessor of the first item it is saying is critical

NewbProjectTamer (11:57:03 AM): okay (perhaps this will fix itself when i reschedule the labor)... it has 2 predecessors, but i dont think that is the problem, because later on in the critical path, there is another task with more than one predecessor that is highlited properly...

NewbProjectTamer (11:58:01 AM): does it maybe have to do with the types of constraints set on the tasks (ie. Must Finish On vs. Start as Soon as Possible)

ProjectCynic (11:58:08 AM): well, I've never seen it make a mistake like you are saying. So my assumption is there is something goofy in the data entry or the set up

ProjectCynic (11:58:14 AM): could be

ProjectCynic (11:58:28 AM): like I said, sometime Project is the devil

NewbProjectTamer (11:58:58 AM): okay, i'll look into that as well, it keeps trying to make suggestions and 'help' me schedule things... i find it's often wrong

NewbProjectTamer (11:59:21 AM): alright, well thanks, i'll see if i can get it to work

ProjectCynic (11:59:27 AM): sometimes you have to agree to disagree

ProjectCynic (11:59:30 AM): ko

ProjectCynic (11:59:33 AM): good luck