Anaheim, CA | February 2-5, 2014
Dan Smith – Deputy CIOAaron Ott – Windows AdministratorMarquette University
Upgrading to Project Server 2013
PC304
• Where we Started• How we use Project Server• Reasons for Project Server 2013• Technical Upgrade• Functional Improvements• Workflow• Issues and Challenges
Agenda
• Approximately11,000 students• 2,500 faculty and staff• Centralized IT Services staff size of ~80 FTE• 6 full time PM’s that report to the PMO• Standardized on Project Server 2013• SharePoint, MS Excel & Word Templates• Approx. 15% IT Projects, 85% Institutional
UNIVERSITY Stats
• Project Center• Project Server 2007• Only in progress projects
• Project Server 2010• All projects• All project information
The Start
Using Project ServerPM methodology
• Project Management requires adherence to a well-defined process
• Tracking against a schedule is necessary, but not sufficient
• Cost, Schedule, and Performance are inseparable
• Communication is the #1 success factor
Hope is NOT a Strategy
7/26
Marquette Best Practices• Use of templates for
• Project Plan• Budget
• Use of Project Server• Standardizes many aspects of project mechanics
• PM Training (in house and external)• PM incentive to obtain PMP
• Project Management Plan (PMI, PMBOK®)• A formal, approved document that defines how the project is executed,
monitored and controlled. It may be summary or detailed and may be composed of one or more subsidiary management plans and other planning documents
• Project Schedule• Listing of project tasks which attempts to model the project and predict
the future
Project Management Plan vs. Schedule
Elements of the Plan• Project scope and
objectives• Start-up plan• Project Tracking Plan• Budget Control• Issue Control• Reporting• Project Metrics
• Risk Management Plan• Communication Plan• Closure plan
How we use Project Server• Publish Projects• Collect project information• Collect task information via
the Web• Views make lists very usable• Make great use of lists• Issues• Risks• Communications plan• Change orders
• Project Workspaces• Single place for all project
information• Document Management• Prevent stepping on others changes• Version control
• Manage Issues and Risks• Defined attributes• Can be linked to specific tasks
• All Project Managers are expected to abide by:• Project Plan completed as necessary• Detailed project schedule developed, with resources assigned, and
published to Project Server• Project schedule updated at least weekly with current status • Documents associated with the project posted to Project Server• Project issues and risks entered into Project Server• Weekly project status reports submitted on all active projects
Project Mechanics
Project Workspaces
• Something that is or will stop forward movement• A problem• A decision that needs to be made• A question that needs to be answered
• When do we need to log it in Project Server• Open for greater than 1 business day• Cross functional – need to involve others for resolution
What is an Issue?
Issue AttributesStatus(1) Active(2) Postponed(3) Closed
Category(O) Request for Change -- Out of Scope(R) Request for Change -- In Scope(Q) Question or Concern(I) Other
Priority(0) Blocking(1) High(2) Medium(3) LowPost Project
ClosureClosure not approved yet(T) Project Team(P) Project Manager(G) PM Working Group(S) Steering Committee
Issues list
Finance Needs
Finance NeedsShort termNeeds a “Projects Database”Needs project rational in a common formatNeeds budgets in a consistent formatNeeds better more timely budget forecasts
Longer term Needs a better way to prioritize projects
Project Server
UMT 360Project Server
UMT 360
Project Server
Solution
• Collect Project Information• Common format• Retain Historical information• Document approval• Reporting
• Project Selection Recommendation• Provide for a more visible and transparent process
Two Major Initiatives
• Allowed to track budget in Project Financial Server
• Facilitates forecasting• Tracking actuals• Seamless integration in Project Server
UMT 360
Project Server Upgrade
Reasons to Upgrade• Improved performance• Browser support• Improved workflow• OneNote notebook• Improved client• Client reporting • Project timeline Web part• Database consolidation
• Single App/Web server• SQL backend• 3rd party portfolio
management app with custom workflow
Project Server 2010 Environment
• Multi-tiered farm• Better (virtual) hardware• Upgraded SQL backend• Latest Windows OS• Latest Cumulative Update• Latest release of 3rd party portfolio
management app• Migrate workflow from 3rd party to native
workflow
Target Environment
• Lots of reading on Technet, blogs, Social forums
• Lots of test VMs• Notes (lot of them)• Inventory your current environment• Lots of practice upgrades• More practice upgrades• Take more notes
Preparation
• Microsoft TAPs & RDPs• Use OneNote to track everything• Create your own installation guide• Create your own upgrade guide• Try to break your builds
More ways to prepare
• Coordinate with teams• What the upgrade means to a PM and
projects• What happens to PWA 2010?• How do PMs get to upgraded PWA?• Double-check target farm, notes,
everything• What if it all blows up?
Upgrade Execution Plan
• BACKUPS• Begin upgrade process• PWA and project sites take a while• Check logs constantly• Migrate what needs to be migrated
Upgrade Execution
• Test everything• Release to users• Something will probably break• Keep checking logs• Keep checking farm performance• Keep your test environment
Post Upgrade
Workflow Improvement• Easy to setup using SharePoint designer • More options for e-mail notifications• Can use workflow in other SharePoint environments
Stage 2Department
Approval
Stage 3Pending
Stage 5Budget Select
Approve
Stage 7Project Approved
Not Approved
Approved
No
Stage 6Portfolio Selection
Capital Selection
Lack of Information
Selected
Stage 8Setup Accounts
Stage 11PM Assignment
Stage 12Manage
Stage 13Closure Request
Stage 14Closure Activities
Stage 15Financial Closure
Stage 16Project Closed
No
Yes
Stage 1Department ReviewNew Project
Stage 4Deferred
Stage 10Dept/Budget
Spend Approval
Budget entered on an annual basis
Budget entered on a monthly basis
Budget locked
Pending/Deferred Stage
System send e-mail
Active Projects
Reporting• SQL Reporting Services
Integration with Oracle Financials
Project Server
Oracle EBS
Project BudgetsForecasts
Actuals
Budgets
Actuals
Reports
• Converted Project Sites or using Custom Templates • Notebooks do not light up automatically• Deliverables Web part does not look correct
• Changing e-mail recipients in Workflow• Default workflow task list did not work• Required fields do not work as expected
with Workflow (DCR)
Issues/Comments
• Other departments adapting to a PM methodology• We need to get the data to be trusted
• Project Prioritization• Started to use the tool this FY for the first time• Establish committee• Redefining drivers to align with Strategic Plan • Discussing how to handle maintenance projects vs “new” projects
Challenges
Questions?
• Project Server provides great collaborative environment
• Great value to have all projects in one place for capital projects
• In place archiving • PMs can run more simultaneous projects• No specific tool is a panacea • Cultural change more of a challenge than
technology change
Closing Thoughts
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