Microsoft Project 2003 Level 1

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Microsoft Project 2003Level 1

• Deanna Reynolds
• Instructor

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Class Outline

• Creating a Project Plan File
• Creating a Work Breakdown Structure
• Creating and Assigning Resources
• Finalizing the Project Plan

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Project Management Basics

• What is a Project?
• Temporary
• Start Date
• End Date
• Product Delivery
• Why Do Projects Succeed?
• Planning
• Communication
• Tangible Result

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Project Management Basics

• What Can Be Done to Start a Project?
• Requirements Specifications
• Assign a Project Manager
• Assemble the Project Team
• Define Milestones
• What Can Be Done Once Project Work Has Begun?
• Track Deadlines
• Documentation

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Project Management Basics

• Project Life Cycle Stages
• Initiation
• Goals (Scope of Project)
• Digitizing Two Hours of Video (task)
• Offer Streaming Video of Lectures (goal)
• Goals Should
• Be agreed upon by everyone involved
• Be realistic
• Be specific
• Be measurable
• Have a deadline

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Project Management Basics

• Planning
• Define Order Tasks
• Tasks should be clear and simply stated.
• Tasks should be confined to a known time frame.
• Tasks should include only work-related aspects.
• Tasks should be associated with a specific person
  or group
• Tasks should have a single point of sign-off
• WBS Work Breakdown Structure

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Project Management Basics

• Implementation
• Microsoft Project
• Task List
• Resource List
• Calendar Information
• Cost Data
• Close-Out
• Reporting
• Final Report

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Lesson OneCreating a Project Plan File

• Create a project plan file
• Create and assign a project calendar
• Add tasks to the project plan file
• Display a project summary task
• Add a recurring task
• Enter duration estimates for tasks

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Create a Project Plan File

• The true challenge of managing projects involves
  making decisions on how and whether to make
  trade-offs between Time, Cost, and Quality.
• These three components are the keys to successful
  project management.
• Microsoft Project can help you to monitor these
  components to ensure your projects come in on
  time, within budget and at an agreed upon level
  of quality.
• However, Microsoft Project is simply a tool not
  the actual project manager.

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Create a Project Plan File

• As a new user, you want to make sure you can
  clearly identify which project management
  activities can and cannot be performed using
  Microsoft Project before you actually create your
  project plan file.
• After reading the following statements, determine
  whether or not they can be performed using
  Microsoft Project software.

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True or False?

• Microsoft Project can
• Identify the project stakeholders.

False
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True or False?

• Microsoft Project can
• Create a detailed list of project tasks.

True
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True or False?

• Microsoft Project can
• Get the project team to sign off on the final
  budget for the project.

False
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True or False?

• Microsoft Project can
• Generate project summary report information.

True
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The Microsoft Project Environment
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The Microsoft Project Environment

• By default, the Gantt Chart is displayed when you
  launch Project.
• You can completely customize your Project views.
  Within each view, you can choose to display
  various tables.
• Tables control what task or resource information
  is presented in a sheet view.
• With tables, you can control the columns, or
  fields, that appear in the table.
• The Task Entry table is the default display. Here
  you can see
• Task Name
• Duration
• Start
• Finish
• Predecessors
• Resource Names

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The Microsoft Project Environment

• To apply a different table within a view, simply
  choose View Table Entry, then, select the
  desired table from the list.
• You can also change the timescale displayed on
  the Gantt Chart by choose Format Timescale.
• For a quick timescale adjustment, just click the
  Zoom In and Zoom Out buttons on the Standard
  toolbar.

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• Contains timescale legends for graphically
  presented tasks or resources.

Timescale
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• Provides common functions and is displayed on the
  left side of the screen.

Task Pane
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• Used to enter and edit information in columns.

Entry Bar
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• Where project data is displayed.

View Area
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• A vertical bar that separates the table and chart
  portions of a view.

Divide Bar
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• What is the default view in Project?

Gantt Chart
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• What table is applied to the default view?

Entry Table
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Using the Project Guide

• The Project Guide is a toolbar that provides a
  quick way of accomplishing common Project tasks.
• In the File Properties dialog box (File
  Properties), you can store general, summary,
  statistical, contents and custom information
  about a project.
• Most projects schedule from the start date.
  Occasionally, you may have a need to schedule
  from the project end date. If this is the case,
  choose Project Project Information. Choose
  Schedule from Project Finish Date and enter your
  finish date.

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Create Assign a Project Calendar

• A project calendar is necessary to ensure tasks
  dont get scheduled to be worked at midnight or
  on company holidays.
• Project will automatically schedule tasks to
  begin on the next available day in the project
  plan unless you determine otherwise.
• By setting a project calendar, you can have more
  control over the flow of task completion in your
  project.
• There are three base calendars in Project
• Standard (M-F, 8a -5p)
• 24-Hours (No Non-Working Time)
• Night Shift (M-Sat, 11p 8a)
• Using these base calendars, you can define
  working times for
• Project Calendar (Default working and non-working
  times for a project)
• Resource Calendar (Default working and
  non-working times for an individual resource)
• Task Calendar (Applied to an individual task when
  the project calendar wont suffice)

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Create Assign a Project Calendar

• Optional Settings
• The Options Dialog Box allows you to enter,
  review, or change preferences that control
  Projects general operation and appearance. To
  open this box, choose Tools Options.
• Project Information Dialog Box
• The Project Information Dialog Box contains the
  projects start finish dates, what date the
  project is going to be scheduled from, the
  current date, the status date, and what type of
  calendaring system your project is based on.
• You can access the Project Information Dialog Box
  by choosing Project Project Information.

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Add Tasks

• In order for Project to calculate a schedule, you
  must enter tasks.
• Through a succession of tasks, Project in able
  to
• Calculate the Project Schedule
• Assign Project Resources
• Determine Project Costs
• All tasks contain
• Task Name
• Duration (the estimated time between the start of
  a task and its finish)
• Project estimates each new task at one day
  indicated with 1 Day? The ? Indicates the
  duration is only a estimate.
• You could enter up to one million tasks in
  Project (but, I wouldnt recommend it).
• Generally, youll enter tasks in Gantt Chart
  View. Then, simply click in the Task Name field
  and type the task name. Press enter when finished.

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Add a Project Summary Task

• A project summary tasks can be used for quick
  project analysis, such as determining the total
  duration of a project.
• Schedule and cost information from subtasks are
  accumulated at the summary task level.
• The start date of a summary task is determined by
  the earliest start date of any of its subtasks.
• A project summary task is the highest level of
  work in a project that represents the project
  goal or project objective.
• All other project tasks are represented as
  subtasks beneath the project summary task.
• To display a project summary task
• Choose Tools Options
• Select the View tab
• Check Show Project Summary Task

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Add a Recurring Task

• Some tasks, such as project status meetings, can
  occur multiple times throughout a projects life
  cycle.
• Project allows you to designate recurring events
  so that you dont have to enter them as separate
  tasks multiple times.
• Once entered, a recurring task appears as a
  summary task with the multiple subtasks that
  represent each occurrence.
• If a task does not occur at regular intervals,
  then you will need to enter the task multiple
  times.

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Duration, Work Units

• A tasks duration (as you know), is the amount of
  time between the start of a task and the finish.
• By default, Project enters a 1 day? estimate
  in each tasks Duration field.
• Its best to avoid setting task durations by
  entering task start and finish dates. Instead,
  enter duration estimates for tasks which allows
  Project to schedule the task start and finish
  dates.
• Task Duration Codes
• Minutes displays as m, min, minute
• Hours displays as h, hr, hour
• Days displays as d, dy, day
• Weeks displays as w, wk, week

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Duration, Work Units

• If you dont know the tasks duration, you can
  always estimate it using the following formula.

E O P (4 M)/6
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Duration, Work Units

• Work defines what will be accomplished once
  resources are assigned to a task.
• Assignment work is the amount of person-hours
  needed to complete each resources assignments.
• The total work for a task is the sum of the work
  for all its assignments.
• The formula for calculating work is
• Work Duration Units

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Duration, Work Units

• Units represent the percentage of a resources
  time assigned to a task.
• The default percentage is 100.
• However, if a resource is going to work only
  half-time on a task, you can set that resources
  assignment units to 50.
• Project milestones are simply tasks with zero (0)
  durations.

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Duration, Work Units

• A milestone acts as a reference point marking a
  major project event.
• Milestones can mark
• Beginning of your project
• End of your project
• End of a major phase
• You can mark any task as a milestone by
• Double-click the task to open the Task
  Information dialog box
• Select the Advanced tab
• Check Mark Task as Milestone
• Click OK

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Lesson One ReviewCan You

• Create a project plan file?
• Create and assign a project calendar?
• Add tasks to the project plan file?
• Display a project summary task?
• Add a recurring task?
• Enter duration estimates for tasks?

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Lesson TwoCreating a Work Breakdown Structure

• Promote and demote tasks
• Link tasks
• Identify deliverables within the project plan
  file by using notes
• Apply a constraint to a task
• Set a task deadline

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Outline Tasks

• Because you may have several tasks related to one
  another, its a good idea to organize them into
  manageable chunks.
• The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a hierarchy
  of tasks in a project represented by alphanumeric
  codes that identify each tasks unique place in
  the structure.
• The WBS can be drawn as a graphic, like an
  organization chart or as a simple outline as
  shown on page 39.
• Project uses the Outline method to organize and
  group tasks.
• Outlining allows you to organize the tasks in
  your plan into summary tasks and subtasks.
• You can use the Indent (Demote) and Outdent
  (Promote) buttons on the Formatting toolbar to
  organize your tasks into an outline form.

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Outline Tasks

• Once your tasks have been promoted and demoted to
  your satisfaction, you can choose how much or how
  little of your WBS that youd like to view by
  collapsing or expanding the outline.
• The duration and other details, such as costs,
  that are associated with summary tasks still
  represent the sum of the subtasks when a group of
  tasks has been collapsed.
• You can include outline numbers to your task
  hierarchy by
• Choose Tools Options
• View tab
• Check Show Outline Number

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Link Dependent Tasks

• The tasks that make up a project are all related.
• A task relationship, or a dependency, occurs when
  the starting time of one tasks is dependent on
  whether another task is starting or is completed.
• The terms predecessor and successor describe how
  tasks relate to each other.
• Predecessor the task that comes before the
  current task
• Successor the task that comes after the current
  task
• Project gives you four different ways in which
  tasks can be related.

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Task Relationships

• Finish-to-Start (default)
• Task B cannot start until Task A finishes
• Start-to-Start
• Task B cannot start until Task A starts
• Finish-to-Finish
• Task B cannot finish until Task A finishes
• Start-to-Finish
• Task B cannot finish until Task A starts

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Lag Lead Time

• With these relationships, you can make tasks
  overlap or cause a delay between tasks.
• Lead time the overlap between dependent tasks.
  Lead time is entered as a negative number.
• Lag time the delay between any two dependent
  tasks that adds waiting time after a task is
  completed. Lag time is entered as a positive
  number.

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Identify Deliverables

• You may want to add notes to record
  specifications, customer requirement, quality
  measures, or any general information related to a
  task.
• Additionally, you can attach related documents,
  such as Word or Excel files.
• Notes
• Notes can be helpful for remembering important
  task information, such as deliverables.

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Constrain Tasks

• Constraints are conditions or limitations places
  on the start or finish date of a task.
• By default, all tasks are scheduled with a start
  As Soon As Possible constraint.
• Task constraints affect how the project schedule
  is calculated.
• Constraints should be used only when absolutely
  necessary as they limit Projects flexibility for
  scheduling your project.
• To control the schedule and to minimize the
  number of constraints you set, use task
  relationships as they allow for greater project
  flexibility.
• Most constraints schedule tasks in related to
  fixed dates. However, two constraints (As Soon As
  Possible and As Late As Possible) are more
  flexible as they do not have dates associated
  with them.

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Constrain Tasks
Page 58

• If placing a constraint on a task causes a
  conflict with another task constraint or
  relationship, Project can display a warning
  message.
• If you want Project to note the conflict, without
  considering it when creating the project
  schedule
• Tools Options
• Schedule tab
• Uncheck Task Will Always Honor Their Constraint
  Dates
• Setting Task Deadlines
• Task Deadlines are a good alternative to setting
  constraints.
• A deadline is a target date indicating when you
  want a task to be completed
• Unlike a constraint, a deadline usually does not
  affect scheduling.

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Lesson Two ReviewCan You

• Promote and demote tasks?
• Link tasks?
• Identify deliverables within the project plan
  file by using notes?
• Apply a constraint to a task?
• Set a task deadline?

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Lesson ThreeCreating and Assigning Resources

• Enter resources and associated costs into the
  project plan file
• Create a resource calendar
• Assign resources to tasks
• Add additional resources to a task
• Resolve resource conflicts

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Resources

• Resources are the people, equipment and material
  used to complete tasks.
• Resources can be one of two types
• Work Resource people or equipment
• Material Resource supplies or other consumable
  items
• Once your tasks are entered, youll need to
  determine who will perform the work to accomplish
  those tasks.
• Before you can assign resources to your tasks,
  youll need to enter the resource information
  into the Resource sheet.
• Choose View Resource Sheet
• Once your resources have been entered, you can
  change their order by sorting by Cost, Name, ID
  or custom criteria you set.

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Resource Calendar

• Occasionally, youll have resources that dont
  work the hours specified on the project calendar.
• If you neglect to create a different calendar for
  this resource, your schedule will be incorrect.
• Resource Information Dialog Box
• The enter, review or change detailed information
  about a selected resource double-click the
  resource name

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Assign Resources

• To identify who is responsible fro completing the
  tasks in your project plan, you need to assign
  resources to those tasks.
• By assigning resources, you allow Project to
  accurately schedule tasks using the resource
  calendars and assignment units information.
• Additionally, Project can help in accounting for
  resource time and costs if you assign resources
  to your tasks and the appropriate cost
  information is included in the Resource Sheet.
• You can assign resources whether by using the
  Assign Resources Dialog Box (Assign Resources
  button on the Standard toolbar) or by entering
  the resource information directly in the Entry
  table.

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Assign Additional Resources

• Using task types enables you to make one of the
  following three variables unchangeable in
  scheduling calculations.
• Duration
• Work
• Units
• Since the duration of each task is determined by
  the formula Duration Work/Assignment Units, you
  can choose which piece of the equation Project
  calculates by setting the task type.
• Three task types
• Fixed Unit Default Task Type. By assigning
  additional resources, the tasks duration is
  reduced.
• Fixed Duration Changes to work or resources
  does not impact the tasks duration.
• Fixed Work Changes to tasks duration or
  assigned resources does not impact the work.
• By default, all tasks are marked effort-driven
  which means that when you assign or remove
  resources, Project lengthens or shortens the
  duration for task based on the number of
  resources assigned to it. This setting can be
  changed in the Task Information dialog box.

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Resolve Resource Conflicts

• Overallocation can occur when resources are
  scheduled to work more hours then they are
  available.
• This occurs because they are either assigned to
  too many tasks or because more resource units are
  assigned to a single task than exists in the
  resource list.
• You can view resource overallocation in the
  following views
• Resource Sheet
• Resource Graph
• Resource Usage
• Resource Allocation
• You can use the Resource Management toolbar to
  help manage resource allocation.

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Leveling

• Once you have identified any overallocated
  resources in a project plan, you will need to
  determine how you want to resolve them.
• Leveling is the process of delaying or splitting
  tasks to resolve conflicts.
• Tasks are either split or delayed until the
  resources assigned are no longer overloaded.
• As a result, leveling can extend the projects
  finish date.
• Leveling does not change resource assignments nor
  does it add any additional resources.
• By reviewing the slack (amount of time a task can
  slip before it affects another tasks dates or
  the project finish date), task priority, task
  dependencies, task constraints and scheduling
  dates, Project levels overallocated resources.

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Lesson Three ReviewCan You

• Enter resources and associated costs into the
  project plan file?
• Create a resource calendar?
• Assign resources to tasks?
• Add additional resources to a task?
• Resolve resource conflicts?

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Lesson FourFinalizing the Project Plan

• Display the project plans critical path
• Shorten the project duration
• Save the project baseline
• View project summary information

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View the Critical Path

• The critical path is a series of tasks that must
  finish on schedule if the project is to finish on
  time.
• Tasks on the critical path are called critical
  tasks and they do not have slack time.
• To avoid delaying the project, it is important to
  pay attention to and manage the critical path.
• By default, the critical path is not displayed.
  If you want to see the critical path, youll need
  to use the Gantt Chart Wizard.

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Shorten the Project Duration

• As project manager, you will have to make
  decisions that may include
• assigning additional resources to tasks on the
  critical path
• Dividing tasks
• Removing Project Requirements to shorten the
  total project duration
• Slack
• Free slack the amount of time a task can slip
  before it delays another task
• Total slack the amount of time a task can slip
  before is delays the project finish date
• On the Detail Gantt view, slack is represented by
  a thin green bar.

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Set a Baseline

• The purpose of a baseline is to give you a point
  of comparison between the original project file
  and the current schedule to determine how closely
  the project is following the original plan.
• A baseline essentially creates a benchmark for
  future reference.
• A baseline helps you calculate variances between
  variables like task duration, start and finish
  dates, or costs.
• You can view the project statistics, after you
  set the baseline plan, in the Project Information
  Dialog Box.

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Display Project Summary Information

• One way to print information in Project is to use
  reports.

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Lesson Four ReviewCan You

• Display the project plans critical path?
• Shorten the project duration?
• Save the project baseline?
• View project summary information?