Working with tasks

1
Working with tasks

• Unit objectives
• Tasks and estimates
• Create a task list in Gantt Chart view by
  entering the task name and duration
• Modify the task list by inserting and deleting
  tasks
• Create the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) by
  indenting and outdenting tasks
• View, define, and apply WBS codes

2
Working with tasks

• Defining Tasks
• Work Breakdown into Tasks
• Estimating Tasks

3
Work Breakdown Structure

• Example Construction

   
4
Work Breakdown Structure

• Think

  Go from highest level to lowest level
large tasks break down into smaller tasks    
Break down until tasks are manageable units for
estimating     Person assigned the task
estimates the task     Define task constraints
i.e. cant start before, cant start until after,
must finish by, can only be done on, etc 
5
TASKS
Work Breakdown into Tasks         Breakdown
project into tasks.       Match tasks to
experience of team members.       Task should be
small enough to estimate accurately. (lt 70
hours)       Task must be measurable how do
we know when it is done?       Team member who
is to do the task, estimates the task      
Double check estimates with a second opinion
6
Working with tasks

• Estimating
•  
•  Experience, experience, experience!!!!
•  
•  What are you estimating?
•        Time
•          Cost

7
Working with tasks

• Why provide estimates?
•         Manage expectations of project team and
  management
•        Manage costs of the project
•        Control the progress of the project
•        Support the cost/benefit analysis
•        Provide the information to allow
  management to make decisions about priorities and
  courses of action

8
Working with tasks

• Estimating guidelines
•  
•        Everyone on the team uses the same
  process/programs
•        Establish common terminology for the team
•        Non project time your other job,
  impacts scheduling and resourcing
•        Project administration 10 of time

9
Working with tasks

• Variables of estimating
•  
• 1.   The final deliverable
• 2.   The due date of the final deliverable
• 3.   The persons assigned to tasks
•  
• One has to be flexible.
•  

10
Working with tasks

• Total Project Costs
•  
• By multiplying the task estimates by the assigned
  persons rate (including overhead), the projects
  manpower costs can be calculated.
• Adding to this, the cost (development, test, and
  production environments) of hardware, software,
  network, training, licences, etc.,

11
Working with tasks

• Topic A Creating task lists
• Topic B Modifying task lists
• Topic C Creating the Work Breakdown Structure
• Topic D Customizing WBS codes

12
Task lists

• Include all the tasks and subtasks that must be
  accomplished to complete the project
• Add tasks in the sheet pane of Gantt Chart view

13
Task duration

• Duration is the time required to complete a task
• By default, Microsoft Project estimates the
  duration of a new task as one day
• A question mark next to a duration indicates the
  number is an estimate
• You can specify an accurate duration using the
  spinner controls of the duration field for a task
• To specify an amount in hours, type h after
  entered

14
Adding tasks and duration

• Open New project, start date October 3rd.
• In the Task Name field, enter the task name
  Design Office Complex
• In the Duration field, enter the time required 2
  days
• Enter the following two tasks
• Determine best architect, 4 days
• Interview architects, 6 hours

15
Working with tasks

• Topic A Creating task lists
• Topic B Modifying task lists
• Topic C Creating the Work Breakdown Structure
• Topic D Customizing WBS codes

16
Inserting and deleting tasks

• To insert a task
• Select the cell Interview Architects
• Choose Insert, New Task Schedule interviews, 1
  day
• Add task at end of list get funding approval,
  1 hour
• To delete a task
• Add a task at end (anything)
• Select this task (hilite)
• Choose Edit, Delete Task
• -or- Press Delete

17
Moving tasks

• Note in front of task !!
• By using the Edit menu (Cut and Paste commands OR
• By using the Standard toolbar (Cut and Paste
  buttons) OR
• By using the mouse to drag
• At bottom of list
• Add Interview candidate one, 1 hr interview
  candidate two, 1 hr
• Move to after interview architects

18
Working with tasks

• Topic A Creating task lists
• Topic B Modifying task lists
• Topic C Adding a Project Summary Line
• Topic D Creating the Work Breakdown Structure
• Topic E Customizing WBS codes

19
Project Summary task

• Represents the highest level of the task list
• Displays the objective of the project
• Has a task ID of zero
• Is displayed as a gray bar that extends across
  the entire project of the chart pane of Gantt
  Chart view

20
Adding a project summary task

• To Add or Change title
• Choose File, Properties
• Title Building a New Office Complex
• To display title on Gantt Chart
• Open Tools, Options, View
• Check Show project summary task
• Click OK

21
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

• Represents all the tasks in a hierarchy
• Created by outlining all the tasks into a
  hierarchy by using the indent and outdent buttons
• Summary tasks and subtasks
• Summary tasks are the next level tasks under the
  project summary task
• Subtasks are the tasks required to complete each
  summary task

22
Outlining a task

Show
Outdent

Subtasks

Hide
Indent

Subtasks

23
Recurring tasks

• Occur at regular intervals
• Team meetings, review meetings, etc.
• Added to the hierarchy as a summary task that
  consists of recurring subtasks

24
Recurring Task Information dialog box



25
Working with tasks

• Topic A Creating task lists
• Topic B Modifying task lists
• Topic C Creating the Work Breakdown Structure
• Topic D Customizing WBS codes

26
The WBS codes








27
Defining a WBS code mask

• Choose Project, WBS, Define Code
• Select the Sequence format
• Select the length
• Select the Separator character
• Click OK

28
Working with tasks

• Unit summary
• Created a task list in Gantt Chart view by
  entering the task names and durations
• Modified the task list by inserting, deleting,
  and moving tasks
• Created the Work Breakdown Structure by indenting
  and outdenting tasks
• Viewed WBS codes and defined and applied a WBS
  code mask