Author Topic: multiple assignees per task  (Read 3618 times)

Nuno Zimas

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 127
    • View Profile
multiple assignees per task
« on: April 12, 2009, 05:48:49 pm »
Here's a feature i dd not find anywhere in the workflow.
Mission critical for project management.

Nuno.
OS: GNU/Linux (PCLinuxOS) | Browser: Firefox 3.6.x and Chromium 5.0.x | FengOffice 1.7 RC

conrado

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 998
  • Conrado
    • View Profile
    • Feng Office
    • Email
Re: multiple assignees per task
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2009, 07:30:23 pm »
Hi Nuno. There are some threads about this issue.

My argument is that most cases are solved creating sub-tasks to be assigned to each worker.
Get Official Support for your Feng Office. Support the development team. Sign up for a Free Trial here.

Stenner

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 8
    • View Profile
    • www.proremus.dk
Re: multiple assignees per task
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2009, 05:27:20 am »
What if there's no sensible subtask to split a task into? As when you code in pairs?

conrado

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 998
  • Conrado
    • View Profile
    • Feng Office
    • Email
Re: multiple assignees per task
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2009, 06:29:53 pm »
That's the frequent contrary-argument.  :D

The thing is: this is not the most frequent scenario (I'll say probably less than 95% of the times).

So it should not be there as a default option.

It could be configurable. But then the coding and the administration will get a bit harder.

These are the reasons why it hasn't been done yet.  :)
Get Official Support for your Feng Office. Support the development team. Sign up for a Free Trial here.

bountonw

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 15
    • View Profile
Re: multiple assignees per task
« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2009, 06:14:50 am »
Not every business model is the same as writing computer code.  I am a printing press and want to assign three people folding papers or I am a moving company and want to assign 4 people to move a piano.  If I have 50 employees, I don't want to have to create groups to cover all of the possible combinations that might occur.  It would be easier to click on 4 names and have the task assigned to them. 

I want two secretarial staff to organize the up-coming office party, but I don't want to micro-manage them, let them decide.

Maybe its personality, but I agree that this is operation critical.   :)

conrado

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 998
  • Conrado
    • View Profile
    • Feng Office
    • Email
Re: multiple assignees per task
« Reply #5 on: April 20, 2009, 03:19:12 pm »
Good points Bountonw. You are right in that software developers tend to see all problems similar to our own.

Probably I should refine my comments. This is something that we would definitely do if we find someone willing to sponsor it. In the mean time, we stick to the business cases we find most commonly requesting our support.

My general view on management is that, even in the scenarios like these, responsibility over a task is assigned to one person. Then you let that person manage the small team. This is just to say that, in many cases, the limitations of the app in its current sate are easily overcome, or it may even not be perceived as limited.
Get Official Support for your Feng Office. Support the development team. Sign up for a Free Trial here.

fernandog

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 66
    • View Profile
Re: multiple assignees per task
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2009, 01:38:41 pm »
Hi Conrado,

I too workaround this by using subtasks for each team member.

Basically I create a parent task and assign it to a dummy account ('TEAM') and then the team members each create a subtask. When all subtasks are marked as complete, I mark the parent task as complete.

But these are my problems with this workflow:

- Team members cannot easily see which parent tasks they have signed up for and these become difficult to manage
- If there is a change in the start/due date of the parent task, this is not inherited in the subtasks so i have to edit them all.

I have given it some thought and two features would ease these two issues:

- ability to multi-select users in the 'filter: assign to:' dialog from the tasks (that way the members could select "assigned to: me and TEAM" and see which team tasks they need to sign up for
- ability to apply start/due dates and descriptions from parent tasks to subtasks

Thanks a million for all the time and work spent in this wonderful app.

Fernando