1. Daniel T. Renier President, Twin Cities MPUG
Fixed Duration: Obvious and Not So Obvious Characteristics of Fixed Duration
Daniel T. Renier
President, Twin Cities MPUG
Twin Cities MPUG: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN

2. Agenda Activity Duration Estimating Fixed Duration: a Definition
Obvious Characteristics
Not so Obvious Characteristics
Questions / Answers
Twin Cities MPUG: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN

3. Activity Duration Estimating
Popular Task Level Scheduling Technique
PMBOK Definition
Page 67 (76 of 211) (6.3) in the PMBOK
Twin Cities MPUG: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN

4. Fixed Duration: a Definition
A task in which the Duration is a fixed value and any changes to the work or the assigned units don’t affect the task’s duration
Twin Cities MPUG: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN

5. Obvious Characteristics
Duration is Fixed
The duration of the task is fixed; therefore, Microsoft Project will do its best to maintain the fixed duration value
Twin Cities MPUG: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN

6. Obvious Characteristics
Schedule is Set
An activity duration estimate sets the schedule
Twin Cities MPUG: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN

7. Not so Obvious Characteristics
Fixed Duration (Does not mean Fixed Dates)
Fixed Duration is not a Constraint
Twin Cities MPUG: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN

8. Not so Obvious Characteristics
The Fixed Duration Value can Change
Splits can force a change
Fixed Duration and Effort Driven
Tracking can force a change
Twin Cities MPUG: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN

9. Not so Obvious Characteristics
Fixed Duration vs. Fixed Units and Fixed Work
Splits and changes in duration
Project calendar
Twin Cities MPUG: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN

10. Not so Obvious Characteristics
Grids Behavior: Fixed Duration
Fixed Units and Fixed Work Scheduling: work is distributed in an Fixed Duration manner
Twin Cities MPUG: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN

11. Summary Fixed Duration: Activity Duration Estimating
Fixed Duration: a Definition
Obvious Characteristics
Not so Obvious Characteristics
Twin Cities MPUG: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN

12. Questions and Answers
Twin Cities MPUG: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN

13. Additional Sources of Information
Online
In person
MPUG Meetings
MPUG/PMI Workshops
Twin Cities MPUG: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN