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A note on the selection of priority rules in software packages for project management

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  • Philipp Baumann

    (University of Bern)

  • Norbert Trautmann

    (University of Bern)

Abstract

Various software packages for project management include a procedure for resource-constrained scheduling. In several packages, the user can influence this procedure by selecting a priority rule. However, the resource-allocation methods that are implemented in the procedures are proprietary information; therefore, the question of how the priority-rule selection impacts the performance of the procedures arises. We experimentally evaluate the resource-allocation methods of eight recent software packages using the 600 instances of the PSPLIB J120 test set. The results of our analysis indicate that applying the default rule tends to outperform a randomly selected rule, whereas applying two randomly selected rules tends to outperform the default rule. Applying a small set of more than two rules further improves the project durations considerably. However, a large number of rules must be applied to obtain the best possible project durations.

Suggested Citation

  • Philipp Baumann & Norbert Trautmann, 2016. "A note on the selection of priority rules in software packages for project management," Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 694-702, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:flsman:v:28:y:2016:i:4:d:10.1007_s10696-016-9236-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10696-016-9236-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kolisch, Rainer, 1999. "Resource allocation capabilities of commercial project management software packages," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 7938, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    2. Rainer Kolisch, 1999. "Resource Allocation Capabilities of Commercial Project Management Software Packages," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 29(4), pages 19-31, August.
    3. Philipp Baumann & Norbert Trautmann, 2015. "Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling with Project Management Information Systems," International Handbooks on Information Systems, in: Christoph Schwindt & Jürgen Zimmermann (ed.), Handbook on Project Management and Scheduling Vol. 2, edition 127, chapter 0, pages 1385-1400, Springer.
    4. Brucker, Peter & Drexl, Andreas & Mohring, Rolf & Neumann, Klaus & Pesch, Erwin, 1999. "Resource-constrained project scheduling: Notation, classification, models, and methods," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(1), pages 3-41, January.
    5. De Wit, Jan & Herroelen, Willy, 1990. "An evaluation of microcomputer-based software packages for project management," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 49(1), pages 102-139, November.
    6. Klein, Robert, 2000. "Scheduling of resource constrained projects," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 1592, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
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    Cited by:

    1. Jeff Scales, 2020. "A design science research approach to closing the gap between the research and practice of project scheduling," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(5), pages 804-812, September.
    2. Gehring, Marco & Winkler, Franziska & Volk, Rebekka & Schultmann, Frank, 2021. "Projektmanagementsoftware und Scheduling: Aktuelle Bestandsaufnahme von Funktionalitäten und Identifikation von Potenzialen," Working Paper Series in Production and Energy 60, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Industrial Production (IIP).

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