Datasheet

FIGURE 1.2
When you apply the appropriate filter, only the tasks that can’t afford delay appear in your schedule.
Durations and milestones
Most tasks in a project take a specific amount of time to accomplish. Tasks can take anywhere from
five minutes to five months. The length of time needed to complete a task is called the task’s
dura-
tion.
You should always try to break the long tasks in a project into smaller tasks of shorter duration
so that you can track their progress more accurately. For example, break a five-month-long task into
five one-month tasks. Checking off the completion of the smaller tasks each month reduces the
odds of a serious surprise five months down the road — and makes you feel as though you’re getting
something done.
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The Nature of Projects
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