1 Project Planning with MS Project Kishore October 2002 Notes available in the presentation: To view notes download the presentation and select View-> Notes Page OR in Slide Show Mode Right Click -> Speaker Notes

2 Agenda Benefits of Tools and Project Management Basics Features of MS Project Some specific features we can use and benefit

3 Tools Usage A tool stores information and provides capability to query and trace information Tool does not guarantee any improvement in process or practices Based on information logged and queried process improvement can be attempted Brings in Standardization and Predictability

4 Project Management Tool should support Task Planning Task Status Update Querying and Reporting Rescheduling Information for Decision Making in Project Allocate and Manage Resources Provide Visibility to Project Progress

5 Basics of MS Project Create a plan Groups Tasks, Hierarchy Assign Resources and Time Links tasks and Dependencies based Task Assignment (Workgroup) Task Update through Create a Recurring Task Filtering Tasks Assign Priority

6 Advanced Features Save Baseline Compare Baseline Vs Actual Multiple Views Update Project Multiple Project Resource Calendar Resource Load Resource Costing Save to Database

7 More Features Project Statistics Web Based Timesheet Save as HTML New Tasks to Start On Option Add Custom Columns Hyperlinks

8 Some tips Customize Workgroup options Link tasks across projects and view them Install only workgroup module Create a backup file on each save

9 Good Practices Any Task should start and end within a week otherwise create sub tasks Add Review Tasks for all deliverables Weekly Update of Status and Review Learn from previous projects and ensure less number of ‘unplanned tasks’ in current project Add Tasks as New Tasks Emerge

10 Recommended Usage Manager will have a plan consisting of all team members tasks and uses Workgroup features to convey tasks Status to be updated on weekly basis Use Notes and attachments for detail logging What tasks go into plan Task with duration of more than 3 hours Tasks with external visibility irrespective of effort Weekly status Reports sent through OR any other format to contain references to Project Tasks