In Project, tasks can have fixed work, unit, or duration, and the help documentation defines the formula relating the three variables as

Duration x Units = Work

There's even a pretty good example table describing (by task type) which variables are recalculated when one of the inputs is changed.

But I'm having trouble thinking of practical real-world examples of these scenarios that would help me decide the most appropriate methodology to use in my schedule.

So are there simple examples of each type of task: fixed-work, fixed-unit, and fixed-duration. And an extension of each example explaining why the inputs might change?

Edit: The answers seem to be focused on which task types people use in practice and some heuristics about how they select type or which type they almost always use, but like the official help documentation this is pretty abstract. What I'm really looking for is a tangible example of a task that would be appropriate for each type that will help me form a robust mental model of which type is appropriate for an arbitrary activity. Think:

• painting a fence is a good example of a fixed-_____________ task because…
• writing a test report is a fixed-_____________ task because…
• etc.

Then I can think of how my task compares to the above examples and have greater confidence that the way I'm modeling it in my schedule is appropriate. I'm not looking for a rule of thumb but an example-based framework for understanding how the task types are intended to be used.

MS Project tasks are either fixed work, fixed unit, or fixed duration, where

Duration x Units = Work

The documentation describes which variable is recomputed when one of the others is changed, but I can't think of simple examples to help me decide which I should use.

Edit: I'm not interested in the task types you typically use or a heuristic for selecting one, because—like the official help documentation—this is too abstract. I'm not looking for a rule of thumb but an example-based framework for understanding how the task types are intended to be used. For example:

• painting a fence is a fixed-_____________ task because…
• writing a test report is a fixed-_____________ task because…
• etc.

In Project, tasks can have fixed work, unit, or duration, and the help documentation defines the formula relating the three variables as

Duration x Units = Work

There's even a pretty good example table describing (by task type) which variables are recalculated when one of the inputs is changed.

But I'm having trouble thinking of practical real-world examples of these scenarios that would help me decide the most appropriate methodology to use in my schedule.

So are there simple examples of each type of task: fixed-work, fixed-unit, and fixed-duration. And an extension of each example explaining why the inputs might change?

In Project, tasks can have fixed work, unit, or duration, and the help documentation defines the formula relating the three variables as

Duration x Units = Work

There's even a pretty good example table describing (by task type) which variables are recalculated when one of the inputs is changed.

But I'm having trouble thinking of practical real-world examples of these scenarios that would help me decide the most appropriate methodology to use in my schedule.

So are there simple examples of each type of task: fixed-work, fixed-unit, and fixed-duration. And an extension of each example explaining why the inputs might change?

Edit: The answers seem to be focused on which task types people use in practice and some heuristics about how they select type or which type they almost always use, but like the official help documentation this is pretty abstract. What I'm really looking for is a tangible example of a task that would be appropriate for each type that will help me form a robust mental model of which type is appropriate for an arbitrary activity. Think:

• painting a fence is a good example of a fixed-_____________ task because…
• writing a test report is a fixed-_____________ task because…
• etc.

Then I can think of how my task compares to the above examples and have greater confidence that the way I'm modeling it in my schedule is appropriate. I'm not looking for a rule of thumb but an example-based framework for understanding how the task types are intended to be used.