Ever Have a Project Complete Late?
Ever wonder why it completed late, even though you took hero level efforts to get it done on time? Are you familiar with the queuing model? The queuing model predicts an infinite recovery period when your project resource utilization rate approaches 100% percent. In short, the harder you beat the horse, the less likely it is to arrive on time!
How Utilization Impacts Project Timelines
| Capacity Per Day | Utilization | Expected Output After 5 Days | Sick Days | Actual OutPut After 5 Days | Loss Of Output per 1 sick Day | Days to Recover Lost Time |
| 100 | 90 | 450 | 1 | 360 | 90 | 9 |
| 100 | 91 | 455 | 1 | 364 | 91 | 10 |
| 100 | 92 | 460 | 1 | 368 | 92 | 12 |
| 100 | 93 | 465 | 1 | 372 | 93 | 13 |
| 100 | 94 | 470 | 1 | 376 | 94 | 16 |
| 100 | 95 | 475 | 1 | 380 | 95 | 19 |
| 100 | 96 | 480 | 1 | 384 | 96 | 24 |
| 100 | 97 | 485 | 1 | 388 | 97 | 32 |
| 100 | 98 | 490 | 1 | 392 | 98 | 49 |
| 100 | 99 | 495 | 1 | 396 | 99 | 99 |
| 100 | 100 | 500 | 1 | 400 | 100 |
9999 |
This is a highly simplified model, of course, but it closely matches my experience across dozens of projects, including the Airbus A380 Sup@airworld i2 SCM/SCC project, the relocation of an aircraft paint hangar, the reworking of a malfunctioning F-16 engine overhaul shop (during a war no less) and a SAP IS Wholesale Food Distribution Solution implementation, which are among the more interesting projects that come to mind.
How an Astute Project Manager Can Avoid Infinite Project Recovery Periods
You might want to avoid these 9 project management mistakes to avoid experiencing infinite recovery periods (and stay employed):
- Avoid scheduling resources at 100% utilization.
- Never assume resources will be available 100% of the time.
- Overscheduling, i.e., above 70% utilization rates is overscheduled.
- Thinking all resources must produce something all the time - this is merely producing useless inventory.
- Failure to understand the answer, as documented by the consultant, is incomplete without the physical presence of the consultant who designed it.
- Assuming testing can be done in a fixed length of time. Performance here varies radically.
- Failure to understand the difference between an RFP and a SAP Blueprint.
- Not adjusting your performance expectations of the individual skill levels of each consultant. They are all unique.
- Accepting project changes without fully evaluating and replanning the effect on your project.
This list is not comprehensive, and perhaps in the future, we will revisit it. Surprisingly, it isn't necessarily specific to IT projects nor even SAP Business Transformation projects. Want more SAP Project Management Tips from the Pros? Get our Top Ten SAP Project Management Tips
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