Getting started with decisionAccelerator

If you are new to the concept of decision modeling and/or decisionAccelerator, or just need a refresher, we suggest you watch the following tutorials in order.

• Introduction to Decision Modeling

• 3 Decision Types

• Introduction to Decision Analysis

• decisionAccelerator Methodology Overview

• decisionAccelerator Model

• decisionAccelerator Pairwise Analysis

• decisionAccelerator Constraints

• Mapping a Decision using decisionAccelerator

decisionAccelerator 4.17 Released

Alternatives

• Problem fixed where the bars were shown incorrectly when "Low was set to good”

• Bars in the ranking table are now split so negative values are represented by a red bar to the left of the zero position and positive values by a blue bar to the right of the zero position. To make it easier to read, the table now has vertical lines marking the boundary of each cell.

Cost-Benefit

• Chart now as a separate file rather than integrated into the dA model. This allows multiple Cost-Benefit charts to be created and, if needed, merged into a single file if different scenarios are being developed.

• The chart now scales to the number of budget increments/alternatives

• An “information” screen is now displayed reporting the progress of the creating the cost-benefit chart. This will be particularly useful for charts that take a significant time to create, reassuring the user that it is working.

  • For charts that take a significant amount of time to create, try reducing the number of budget increments

fastProject 4.8.8 Released

General

• Problem fixed when breaking down a task when the schedule has a blank line (could cause the task to be broken down incorrectly)

• Restoring Views/Tables/Filters improved and minor bugs fixed

Inspector

• Bug fixed where the ribbon would disappear in some cases with sub-projectsewfwe

• Target status now reflects correctly the Target details when the target is in a sub-project

• Displaying the “Latest baseline” when a target is in a sub-project, now displays the baseline for that sub-project

  • Note: this will also display the same baseline for all sub-projects, so bear in mind that if the sub-projects have not been updated in sync with each other, the baseline displayed for the other sub-projects could be a different date

Update

• Updating a schedule now automatically displays the Inspector and displays the information relating to the next Target. This allows the team to track changes to the target as the schedule is updated.

Wigglechart

• Options made clearer when a Wigglechart does not exist

Analyzer

• Added a check for the fastProject defaults not being set, indicating the schedule should be converted.

decisionAccelerator 4.16 Released

Ratings

• Improved interface for defining a Values, Values ($) and a Linear scale

Alternatives

• Bars in the ranking table are now split so negative values are represented by a red bar and positive values by a blue bar. To make it easier to read, the table now has vertical lines marking the boundary of each score.

• Problem fixed where the bars were shown incorrectly when "Low was set to good”

Cost-Benefit

• Chart now as a separate file rather than integrated into the dA model. This allows multiple Cost-Benefit charts to be created and, if needed, merged into a single file if different scenarios are being developed.

• The chart now scales to the number of budget increments/alternatives

• An “information” screen is now displayed reporting the progress of the creating the cost-benefit chart. This will be particularly useful for charts that take a significant time to create, reassuring the user that it is working.

  • For charts that take a significant amount of time to create, try reducing the number of budget increments

fastProject 4.8.7 Released

General

• Warning when deleting a Target manually removed

• Importing a schedule now

  • Sets the split bar up to the Duration column

  • Fits the schedule to the screen

• Breakdown

  • Can now add prefix to multiple selected summary tasks

  • Bug fixed where breaking down an in-progress activity with a finish date in the past and tasks are not linked would cause an error

  • Doing an Unbreakdown now displays the task bar in the Gantt chart (since it may have been a Summary with the task bards hidden)

• Updated training files

• Link to Blog fixed

Refresh

• After an Update, the Inspector is now automatically invoked

• Optimized the Refresh interface so the functionality works left to right

• Bug fixed when trying to run the Wigglechart when the Wigglechart is open. The Wigglechart can be run when open, but only if opened via fastProject, otherwise the user will get a warning to close the Wigglechart.

Macro-micro Roll-up

• New “Create Macro from Micro” function added. This will delete all subtasks to a roll-up task while moving external dependencies to the associated roll-up task

• Added an additional test to check for Touchpoints in the macro - these buts be contained within a summary task

• Updated Macro-micro Roll-up documentation

• Added a new function “Find duplicate task names” which finds tasks with the same name that can cause problems with the roll-up

• Added “Display timing analysis” as an option in the initial dialog box

• Documentation updated (V2.0)

decisionAccelerator 4.15 Released

General

• Framework sheet updated (and moved to after CostBenefit chart)

• Risks, PPA and Business Cases moved to separate sheets and Grouping removed

• Dependency constraints removed

• Excel tabs now visible when on a regular Excel worksheet - also better handling of other Excel files that are open

Objectives

• Red “best fit” arrow now just a line to avoid display problems with different screen resolutions

Alternatives

• Bug fixed where the blue bars were not updated when an alternative was excluded

• % Rating fixed

• Slow performance fixed when saving a Custom rating

• Custom form now dynamically changes size based on the length of the custom name

• Custom name now highlighted on the form

The Ribbon Interface on fastProject Has Disappeared

This can be caused by a rouge title in the custom flag Flag16. The fix is straightforward:

1. Right-mouse click on any column > Custom Fields

2. Select Flag in the top-right

3. Select Flag16

4. Delete

5. OK

Then either

• Click the Reset Button (2nd button from the far right on the toolbar) or

• Save and Exit the project then re-open it.