Project management applications utilizing summary tasks for top-down project planning
Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward providing a method utilizing project management software for creating a project plan utilizing a top-down strategy allowing a user to describe high-level objectives before filling in details for the underlying tasks of which the high-level objectives are comprised. As an alternative to basing summary task dates and durations solely on subtask data, the present invention allows a user to enter dates and duration values into summary tasks regardless of when the corresponding subtasks occur. By utilizing a top-down project management approach, embodiments of the present invention promote utilizing summary tasks as a starting point of project planning. Users are able to input high-level objectives of a project when more specific details of subtasks are unknown. Because summary task data is not rolled-up from the subtask data, a user may specify details such as dates and durations of subtasks at a later time.
1. A computer-implemented method for creating a top down project plan, the method comprising:
receiving information entered by a user associated with a summary task comprising subtasks;
determining by a processor executing code stored on a computer-readable medium whether a summary task's start date, finish date, or duration fields contain user-entered information;
when at least one, but no more than two of a summary task's start date, finish date, or duration fields contain user-entered information,
determining a schedule of planned dates for the summary task utilizing summary task information entered by the user in addition to calculated roll-up dates of the summary task's subtask information;
determining when a summary task's calculated roll-up dates contradict planned dates;
when a task's calculated roll-up dates contradict planned dates, preserving the user-entered planned dates; and
displaying the determined summary task schedule in the corresponding fields of the project plan;
wherein when all three of a summary task's start date, finish date, or duration fields contain user-entered information,
preserving the user-entered planned dates;
identifying differences between the planned dates and the roll-up dates of the summary task's subtasks when differences exist; and
displaying an indication of whether a task contains planned dates or when the task contains roll-up dates.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein
when no user-entered information is contained in a summary task's start date, finish date, and duration fields,
determining a schedule for the summary task utilizing calculated roll-up dates of the summary task's subtask information; and
displaying the determined summary task schedule in the corresponding fields of the project plan.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein identifying differences between the planned dates and the roll-up dates of the summary task includes providing a planned date Gantt bar and a calculated roll-up date Gantt bar displayed on a project plan Gantt chart.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein identifying differences between the planned dates and the roll-up dates of the summary task includes providing a planned date field and a roll-up date field within a project plan table.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining when a summary task's calculated roll-up dates contradict planned dates includes determining whether a summary task start date occurs before all of the start dates of the subtasks of the summary task.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining when a summary task's calculated roll-up dates contradict planned dates includes determining whether a summary task start date occurs after all the finish dates of the subtasks of the summary task.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining when a summary task's calculated roll-up dates contradict planned dates includes determining whether a summary task finish date occurs after all the finish dates of the subtasks of the summary task.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining when a summary task's calculated roll-up dates contradict planned dates includes determining whether a summary task finish date occurs before all the finish dates of the subtasks of the summary task.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein displaying an indication of whether a task contains planned dates or when the task contains roll-up dates includes displaying a push pin icon in association with information displayed for the task when the task contains only planned dates.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein displaying an indication of whether a task contains planned dates or when the task contains roll-up dates includes displaying a push pin icon and a question mark in association with information displayed for the task when the task contains planned dates and roll-up dates.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein displaying an indication of whether a task contains planned dates or when the task contains roll-up dates includes displaying an arrow icon in association with information displayed for the task when the task contains only roll-up dates.
12. A computer-readable storage medium containing computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method for creating a top down project plan, the method comprising:
receiving information entered by a user associated with a summary task comprising one or more subtasks;
determining whether a summary task's start date, finish date, or duration fields contain user-entered information;
when at least one, but no more than two of a summary task's start date, finish date, or duration fields contain user-entered information,
determining a schedule of planned dates for the summary task utilizing summary task information entered by the user in addition to calculated roll-up dates of the summary task's subtask information;
determining when a summary task's calculated roll-up dates contradict planned dates; and
when a summary task's calculated roll-up dates contradict planned dates,
preserving the user-entered planned dates; and
identifying differences between the planned dates and the roll-up dates;
displaying the determined summary task schedule in the corresponding fields of the project plan;
but, when no user-entered information is contained in a summary task's start date, finish date, and duration fields,
determining a schedule for the summary task utilizing calculated roll-up dates of the summary task's subtask information; and
displaying the determined summary task schedule in the corresponding fields of the project plan;
wherein when all three of a summary task's start date, finish date, or duration fields contain user-entered information,
preserving the user-entered planned dates; and
identifying any differences between the planned dates and the roll-up dates of the summary tasks' subtasks; and
displaying an indication of whether a task contains planned dates or when the task contains roll-up dates.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 ,
wherein identifying differences between the planned dates and the roll-up dates of the summary task includes providing a planned date Gantt bar and a calculated roll-up date Gantt bar displayed on a project plan Gantt chart; and
wherein identifying differences between the planned dates and the roll-up dates of the summary task includes providing a planned date field and a roll-up date field within a project plan table.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein determining when a summary task's calculated roll-up dates contradict planned dates includes determining whether a summary task start date occurs before all of the start dates of the subtasks comprising the summary task.
15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein determining when a summary task's calculated roll-up dates contradict planned dates includes determining whether a summary task start date occurs after all the finish dates of the subtasks of the summary task.
16. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein determining when a summary task's calculated roll-up dates contradict planned dates includes determining whether a summary task finish date occurs after all the finish dates of the subtasks of the summary task.
17. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein determining when a summary task's calculated roll-up dates contradict planned dates includes determining whether a summary task finish date occurs before all the finish dates of the subtasks of the summary task.