How to keep How to keep MicrosoftMicrosoft Project Project from being the Project from being the Project

1/8/2003

Who Am I?Who Am I?

Steve Reynolds 10 years of Management

Consulting experience Over a variety of industries Big range of project sizes Achieving solid business

results

AgendaAgenda

Initiate Begin with the End in Mind Define Your Basic Approach to Project Management

Plan Work Breakdown Structure Task Types

Control Milestone Usage Manage Actuals

InitiateInitiate

Begin with the End in Mind Define Your Basic Approach to Project Management

Begin with the End in MindBegin with the End in Mind

One month after go-live Empty pizza boxes thrown out and pop cans recycled Executive Sponsors are singing the praises of the project End-Users are embracing the new product Development Team proud of their successes PM ready to do it all over again, with only slight modifications Business processes documented and improved; knowledge

was shared Problem solved, opportunity seized, costs saved

Initiate

Basic ApproachBasic Approach

There’s more to Project Management than MS Project— Primary focus should be

Leadership Managing Change

Initiate

PlanPlan

The Work Breakdown Structure Task Types

Crafting the PlanCrafting the Plan

Quickly Set up your Workplan Write down all your tasks and

deliverables Follow the Work Breakdown

Structure (WBS)1. Ultimate product2. General process3. Major deliverables

Super Quick at first, but you will forget Tasks and deliverables.Final result was either incomplete or took longer

Took a little longer to plan.However, you are more certainto have a “Complete” product.

Plan

Bad Process Good Process

Creating the Work Breakdown Structure Creating the Work Breakdown Structure

• Process• Software• Technology• People

• Process• Software• Technology• People

• Process• Software• Technology• People

• Initiate• Plan• Control• Execute• Close

1. Ultimate Product

2. General Process

3. Major Deliverables

Budget Planning System

Business Requirements

Design BuildProject

Management

Plan

Now WhatNow What

Agreed on the Process Understand the High Level Deliverables Record all the Tasks

What’s Next?

Plan

Task TypeTask Type

Taking control with Task Type Understanding Project’s default setting Setting the right Task Type for your activity Knowing when to adjust the Task Type Adding resources

Plan

Work, Duration, and UnitsWork, Duration, and Units

Understanding the default settings

The Work Formula: Work = Duration x Units

The Default Setting: Fixed Units Edit the Work and Duration is Recalculated Edit the Duration and the Work is Recalculated Edit the Units and the Duration is Recalculated

Plan

Unexpected ResultsUnexpected Results

May expect Project to calculate Resource Units Project evaluates the Work Formula and keeps the variable

named in the Task Type constant Units default = 100%

Plan

So, How do you deal with this?So, How do you deal with this?

Before you change an assignment ask yourself this question: “I'm entering a new value for work (or units or duration), so

what do I want Project to change to accommodate this new value?”

Decide which field you DON'T want changed and make it fixed by changing the selection in the Task Type field

After the calculation is complete you can switch the Task Type back to its original value if you want to

Plan

Sounds easy, but…Sounds easy, but…

Try to add a resource Usually quadruples the work

A second resource may be added to cut the work in half or they may be added to perform additional work A second programmer working on the same code may cut

development time A DBA may add work if they are performing distinct tasks

Use the Effort Driven field to let Project keep the total work constant (and therefore shorten the duration)

Plan

Assigning ResourcesAssigning Resources

You can double-click (or right-click) on a task and use the Resources tab of the Task Information dialog box

You can use the Assign Resources dialog box (Tools> Resources>Assign Resources)

The most effective way to assign resources to tasks is using the split screen method. When you split the Gantt Chart view, the top of the screen

displays the Gantt Chart view and bottom of the screen displays the Task Form view.

Plan

ControlControl

Milestone Usage Actuals Tracked

Milestone UsageMilestone Usage

How to report Status to Stakeholders? To external parties – Project Website Show immediate results – Status Meetings Focus effort on a long-term project – Steering Committee

Meetings

How do milestones relate to deliverables?

Control

Actuals TrackedActuals Tracked

Two Detailed Methods Resource Usage – Editing actual hours spent by team

members Task Usage – Editing actual hours viewed by the outline

The Plan changes to equal the Actuals

The Quicker Method Task Sheet: Tracking

Tracks Actual Start, Actual Finish, and Percent Complete

Control

RecapRecap

Create a standard but unique Work Breakdown Structure Use a variety of task types and define your default Use milestones for a variety of different purposes Track actuals just a little easier

Q&AQ&A

Any questions now? I’ll be staying after