PROJECT MANAGEMENT3RD YEAR UNDERGRADUATE UNIT

U13451 PRMAN DL

Tutor: Kathy Parker

WEEK FIVEAdapted from slides by Dr Philip J. Scott MSc PhD FBCS

CITPUniversity of Portsmouth

Adapted by Kathy Parker

Contents

Learning outcomes Lecture: Project planning (part 2) Exercise

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Learning outcomes

Demonstrate how to construct a project plan using Microsoft Project

Use bespoke resource calendars, task dependencies and timescale options

Explain costing and reporting options

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Lecture: Using Microsoft Project MS Project is the de facto standard There are commercial alternatives and

free/shareware products, or use Excel Viewing software freely available to

read .MPPs MS Project comes as standalone or Enterprise

server Maintaining it can become an industry! This lecture is mostly demonstration Tutorial will give you an opportunity to applySlide 4 of 8

Lecture: Using Microsoft Project Introduction to Microsoft Project – walk

through an existing plan Key concepts:

Tasks (summary/detail) Dependencies Resources Calendars Timescale views

Not covering resource levelling

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Lecture: Using Microsoft Project Example of building a new plan

Define project information (start date, calendar options)

Enter tasks, indent/outdent to demote/promote Enter task durations and dependencies Adjust timescale view as necessary Get print format right Allocate resources and their calendars and costs Update % completion Compare alternative views (PERT, resource

sheet)Slide 6 of 8

MS Project: Start Up

This is what you get when you open MS Project.If you don’t get the Project Guide (a sort of a wizard tool) on the left hand side of the display and you want to use it then you will need to follow the instructions on the next slide.Otherwise go to slide 9.

MS Project: Getting to Project Guide

On the top menu Click on Tools then Options Then click on the Interface tab and tick the Display Project Guide Box

MS Project: Define project information

Project -> Project InformationGives this pop-up.Enter the project start date.Leave the Schedule from: Project start Date as it is (helps with initial scheduling)If you need to put in time frame constraints later then fine

MS Project: Define project calendar

Tools - > Change working time gives this screen.From here you can define the project working days and hours.If the project will use work the days and weeks as per the ‘Standard’ calendar then use it. Otherwise Create a New Calendar, give it a name and make it a copy of the Standard

MS Project: Define Working times

From here you can set default working times for specified days of the week.E.g. I have set working times for Monday to Thursday as 09:00 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 17:00 and from 09:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 16:00 on a Friday

MS Project: Define Non-Working times

From the Exceptions tab I have defined an exception of Christmas from 20/12 to 3/1/11 as non-working time

MS Project: Assign Calendar to Project

Back to Project -> Project Information and select your calendar from the drop down menu to assign the calendar to your project

MS Project: Enter your tasks

Enter the tasksBefore doing this you should have done the PBS and PFD as per week 4

MS Project: Indent/outdent tasks

I have entered higher level tasks: Project Initiation and Determine requirements

MS Project: Indent/outdent tasks

I now highlight the sub tasks for each and click on the indent arrow

MS Project: Indent/outdent tasks

When I put in a new task it will go in as a sub task under the Determine Requirements unless I outdent

MS Project: Enter Task Durations

Under Duration enter the time it will take to complete the task. Only enter the times for the low level tasks.The summary level tasks are calculatedTasks with a time of zero are indicated as milestones

MS Project: Enter Task Dependencies

This can be done in one of 3 ways:1.Highlight the two tasks e.g. Cannot get PID approved until PID is produced•Then click on the Link tasks icon•The chart shows the tasks linked

MS Project: Enter Task Dependencies 2a

2. Double click on a task to get the Task information windowSelect the Predecessors tab, click on the down arrow under Task Name and select the task(s) that must precede (be done before) this task.e.g. PID approved milestone cannot happen until the Get PID approved is complete. Click OK

MS Project: Enter Task Dependencies 2b

2. This method is also useful for specifying link type that are not the standard Finish-to-Start and these can be selected under TypeA lag can also be specified

MS Project: Enter Task Dependencies 2c

2. Which creates this->

MS Project: Enter Task Dependencies 3

3. Using drag and drop technique.Hover over the predecessor task until you see and a task box appearThen drag to the successor task. A box labelled Finish-to-Start Link will appearComplete the link

MS Project: Changing the GANTT view timescales

We now cannot all our project so we may wish to change the timescale at the topSet the middle tier – here we are changing it from Weeks to MonthsAnd the bottom tier from Days to weeks

MS Project: Changing the GANTT view timescales

Which gives us ->

Lecture: Using Microsoft Project Keep it manageable:

Limit number of tasks per plan (500?) Split or create sub-plans or super-plans if

necessary Only add the crucial dependencies Break down work to sensible level for

monitoring Strict version control: baseline, progress,

what-ifs Don’t try to make it an accounting tool

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Tutorial walk-through

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