Patent ID: 7089193

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for scheduling a project, comprising the steps of: i) determining resources required to perform the project and an amount of time to be allocated to each resource; ii) calculating, in a computer, a first flow time value for completing the project when there are no inter-project constraints on the resources; iii) defining a flow expansion coefficient value for the project; iv) designating a proposed start time for the project; v) calculating, in the computer, a second flow time value for completing the project from said proposed start time, in accordance with existing inter-project constraints on the resources; vi) determining, in the computer, whether said second flow time is greater than the product of said first flow time and said coefficient value; vii) determining a new proposed start time if said second flow time is greater than said product; viii) iteratively repeating steps v–vii until said second flow time is less than or equal to said product; and ix) setting the start time for the project in accordance with the proposed start time designated during the final iteration of steps v–vii.