PMO Tricks of the Trade™ Microsoft Project Dave D’Silva, PMP Intelligent Management Solutions Group Presented Jan 16, 2008 MPA-GTA, Canada

29/04/ © Intelligent Management Solutions Group | imsg.ca 2 Speaker Background Know and show your value Dave D’Silva, PMP, BMath PMO Methodology & Tool Prep: PMP & PgMP; MSP, PPT & EPM GTA Chapter President, Microsoft Project Association Official Industry Association of MSO Project Director PMO, Everus Communications (ISP/Telecom) Advisor R&D, PriceMetrix (Corporate Wealth Management) Advisor Business Continuity Planning, iVolution Security Technologies Engagements with hundreds of clients over two decades including Scotiabank, IBM, SickKids, etc. Other topics “Shared Resource Management - Visual Root Cause Analysis” and “Revenue Project Management™”

29/04/ © Intelligent Management Solutions Group | imsg.ca 3 Agenda Principles / Assumptions Trick 1: MSP 007 (Spy Boot Camp) Trick 2: Advanced MSP Features and Tips Trick 3: MSP 2007 vs What’s New? Trick 4: Handling “big bad” Project Server Trick 5: Target your promotion with exec-buy in Trick 6: SDLC & PMBOK (where road meets rubber)

29/04/ © Intelligent Management Solutions Group | imsg.ca 4 Principles / Assumptions Position with a value rep or get left behind PM value trend (more than getting others to do their job) Don’t recreate the wheel. Templates: –Gantthead.com Headstart to bridge the gap (MSO templates based on PMBOK) –SDLC

29/04/ © Intelligent Management Solutions Group | imsg.ca 5 Principles / Assumptions (2) MS Project is easy if you know how it works and how it doesn’t work EPM is coming and not so scary if you create a mini-EPM from Project Standard, and experience the business rules. Integrating PMI and MS Project through PMBOK based MSO templates within an SDLC will make your life easier.

29/04/ © Intelligent Management Solutions Group | imsg.ca 6 PMO Trick #1: MSP 007 Build an MS Project file fast! Cheat Sheet! Demo

29/04/ © Intelligent Management Solutions Group | imsg.ca 7 PMO Trick #2: Adv MSP Features & Tips Manual soft split to avoid bad behaviour, and allow for inter-project dependencies Custom Column / Fields –Stop-light flag (Graphical indicators) –Formula –Auto Calc for task and group summary rows –SR&ED (Project) tax credit (CRA input) VBA Coding 007

29/04/ © Intelligent Management Solutions Group | imsg.ca 8 PMO Trick #3: MSP What’s New? Advantages of 2007 over 2003 My Top 3: Unlimited Undo! Auto highlight of downstream changes Report menu exports to MS Office adac-5eb8795b87a71033.mspx?mfr=true adac-5eb8795b87a71033.mspx?mfr=true

29/04/ © Intelligent Management Solutions Group | imsg.ca 9 PMO Trick #4: MSP Server Prep Preparing for and Surviving What do you need to know? Don’t panic! Use (previous) manual soft splits Remove irritating behaviour from your projects (extension of cheat sheet) Setup a mini-EPM for a first hand feel

29/04/ © Intelligent Management Solutions Group | imsg.ca 10 PMO Trick #4: MSP Server Prep-2 Mini-EPM 1. Each project file will be "readiness for EPM" examined and assessed with fix recommendations. 2 Project Managers trained during assessment/fix as one-on-one 3 Mini-EPM built with a) Shared resource file and b) Portfolio file 4 PMI integrated SDLC and Template rough-up as.PPT and.MPT file 5 Assessment Report a) Summarize & JAD integrated recommendations (1-4) b) Broken features of current MS EPM & how to fix c) Underutilized features of current MS EPM & how to use d) PMP and PgMP learning integration e) Business and PMO gap assessment with best practices recommendations f) Roadmap for future related technology and PMI methodology adoption 6. 1-Page "Ethical" Cheat Sheets 7. Optional industry recognition through MPA (Official industry Association) and PMI presentations 8. Adopt philosophies, for example a) "Crawl then walk then run" b) Start from a holistic, business-centric, integrative all-win point c) Worry about the lost sheep and keep them comforted and productive (team spirit) d) Handle the hidden issues before they kabosh the whole thing

29/04/ © Intelligent Management Solutions Group | imsg.ca 11 PMO Trick #4: MSP Server Prep-3 Roadmap Management consulting approach: Step 1. Embed business processes into MS Project through SDLC templates and training, Step 2. Integrate PMI, local executive & other methodologies, Step 3. Create PMP and PgMP designated employees, Step 4. Prepare for Enterprise and Portfolio PM by creating Mini- EPM using MS Project Standard to identify and get used to the new processes and behaviour, specifically shared resources, Step 5. Integrate processes through VBA and Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Project, Access, etc.), and Step 6. Identify business patents and qualify the firm for SR&ED Project funding Know and show your value.

29/04/ © Intelligent Management Solutions Group | imsg.ca 12 PMO Trick #5: Promotion PgMP What is the PgMP Pre-requisites How hard is it to pass? Is it worth it? Who and how are early adopters benefiting from the PgMP right now?

29/04/ © Intelligent Management Solutions Group | imsg.ca 13 PMO Trick #6: Don’t recreate Templates to SDLC (PMI SOC affiliation) Leadership Alignment to MS Solution Framework, Agile, RUP, CMMI, COBIT, SDLC, Agile Increase service capacity, w/o risk of failed steps Headway-MSO templates build around PMBOK WIKI:

29/04/ © Intelligent Management Solutions Group | imsg.ca 14 Review Principles / Assumptions Trick 1: MSP 007 (Spy boot camp) Trick 2: Advanced MSP Features and Tips Trick 3: MSP 2007 vs What’s New? Trick 4: Handling “big bad” Project Server Trick 5: Target your promotion with exec-buy in Trick 6: SDLC & PMBOK where road meets rubber

29/04/ © Intelligent Management Solutions Group | imsg.ca 15 PMO Tricks of the Trade MS Project 2007 Questions? Next Steps – Microsoft Project Association (Feb 20: Maximize the Power MS Project & MS Word: 3 rd -Party Tools for Mapping, Breaking Down and Documenting Projects; John Estrella, PhD)