Microsoft Project User GroupMay 2002 – Chapter MeetingScheduling - Best Practices

Initiation and Planning Presented by James Nuthall

Brentford Technologies, Inc

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PROJECT SCHEDULE- BEST PRACTICES - Part 1

INITIATION & PLANNING

• Where are we?• Templates• Schedule Information• Schedule Phases & Methodology• Schedule Tasks & Milestones• Dates, Dependencies & Resources• Base & Resource Calendars• Baseline• Work & Costs

So Where Are We?

Initiating Processes

Planning Processes

Time

Executing Processes

Tracking Controlling ProcessesClosing Processes

Le

vel o

f A

cti

vity

Here!

Templates• Did you use the established

project template?• Have you updated it to

reflect your project?

Properties• Properties • This is where “static” data

can be stored to be used for reporting– Project Name / Title– Project Manager– Project Description

Project Information• Did you use the Project

“Start date” to control tasks starting at the beginning of the project?

Structure & Text Format

• If you use a methodology, are all phases represented?

• Do “only” Summary tasks appear bold?

Project Summary Line

• How many levels does your plan show?

• Is the Project Summary line displayed? ID=0

Milestones• Are all Milestones identified in your

Scope document shown in your schedule?

• Are the Milestones easily identified both by description and graphically?

Tasks

• Do task descriptions stand alone?

• Does each Tasks contain an “active” verb?

• Does each Task have a deliverable?

• Have Notes been used?

Tasks• Has “Effort Driven” for new

tasks been switched off?• Is “Effort Driven” on

existing tasks turned off?

Start & Finish Dates• Do you have any date

constraints active?

Dependencies• Do all Tasks have a Dependency

or a Successor?• Do you have any dependencies

set on Summary tasks?

Resource Usage / Sheet• Have all Tasks had Resources

assigned?• Have all resources been identified?• Have Max Units been updated?

Resource - Summary tasks

• Are there resources applied on Summary tasks?

Resource – Task Units

• Have Resource - Units been applied correctly on each Task?

Resource – Costs, etc.• Have hourly rates been updated

for each resource?• Have you developed a resource

contact list?

Base Calendar• Has the Base Calendar been

updated with the Company Holidays?

Calendar – Resource• Have all vacations, training

classes etc. been applied to each team members calendar?

Resource - Overallocated• Are any resources over-

allocated?

Baseline• Has the Baseline been

applied to your schedule?

Project Total Work• Does the Total work / cost

reflect what was detailed in the Scope document / bid?

Fixed Costs & Expenses

• Are Fixed Costs being tracked?• Are Project Expenses being

tracked?

SUMMARY

• Where are we?• Templates• Schedule Information• Schedule Phases & Methodology• Schedule Tasks & Milestones• Dates, Dependencies & Resources• Base & Resource Calendars• Baseline• Work & Costs