1. 1 Software Project Management Session 6: MS-Project Intro & Mid-term Exam

2. 2 Today WBS Homework Review Brief introduction to MS-Project Exam

3. 3 WBS Review For process approaches –It sometimes appears that you think requirements = analysis = design –Or that doing a few diagrams (ERD, DFD) = requirements Consistency –Consistent use of verb+noun descriptions of activities Language –Inclusion of some phases but missing others Some at beginning, some at end Use of a spell checker (spelling counts in project plans too)

4. 4 WBS Review Disappearing ‘plot lines’ –Like designing a network or choosing hardware but never implementing Consistency across phases –If ‘Development’ includes four major modules, typically ‘Design’ should reflect those same four If using a ‘process’ model, then there should be a visible ‘flow’ to the process –Not like this: Systems Engineering, Hardware & Software, Project Management, Test, Training, Site Implementation

5. 5 WBS Review Some MS-Project plans had all 1 day assignments, That's good for this point of process This is prior to estimation Tone & Content –Some are very “generic” Tell me nothing about your system Not enough to say 'requirements, analysis, design, etc, done’

6. 6 WBS Review Some activities overly general 'Control Project‘ Forget things at equal level like ‘architecture design’ Think all activities through Aim for a consistent level of detail Know the basic order of things: testing doesn’t occur before development –Other details: QA is not part of ‘Rollout’ I am lenient now but will be less so going forward

7. 7 MS-Project Mid-market leader Has approx. 50% overall market share 70-80% MS-Project users never used automated project tracking prior (a “first” tool) Not a mid/high-end tool for EPM (Enterprise Project Mgmt.)

8. 8 Project Pros Easy outlining of tasks Resource management Accuracy: baseline vs. actual; various calculations Easy charting and graphics Cost management Capture historical data

9. 9 Project Cons Illusion of control Workgroup features ok, still in-progress Scaling No estimation features Remember: –Being a MS-Project expert does not make you an expert project manager! –No more so than knowing MS-Word makes you a good writer.

10. 10 The MS-Project Process Move WBS into a Project outline (in Task Sheet) Add resources (team members or roles) Add costs for resources Assign resources to tasks Establish dependencies Refine and optimize Create baseline Track progress (enter actuals, etc.)

11. 11 Project Overview This is a ‘quickie’ overview We will return to all of these steps individually over the next few weeks Sample project from McConnellproject

12. 12 Project UI Views –Default is Gant Chart View 2 panes Task Sheet on left (a table) Gantt Chart on right –View Bar on far left

13. 13 Project UI

14. 14 Create Your Project File/New Setup start date Setup calendar –Menu: Project/Project Information –Often left with default settings –Hours, holidays

15. 15 Enter WBS Outlining Sub-tasks and summary tasks Do not enter start/end dates for each Just start with Task Name and Duration for each Use Indent/Outdent buttons to define summary tasks and subtasks You can enter specific Start/End dates but don’t most of the time

16. 16 Establish Durations Know the abbreviations –h/d/w/m –D is default Can use partial –.5d is a half-day task Elapsed durations Estimated durations –Put a ‘?’ after duration

17. 17 Add Resources Work Resources –People Material Resources –Things –Can be used to track costs Ex: amount of equipment purshased –Not used as often in typical software project

18. 18 Resource Sheet Can add new resources here –Or directly in the task entry sheet Beware of mis-spellings (Project will create near-duplicates) Setup costs –Such as annual salary (put ‘yr’ after ‘Std. Rate’)

19. 19 Effort-Driven Scheduling MS-Project default Duration * Units = Work Duration = Work / Units (D = W/U) Work = Duration * Units (W = D*U) Units = Work / Duration (U = W/D) Adding more resources to a task shortens duration Can be changed on a per-task basis In the advanced tab of Task Information dialog box Task Type setting Beware the Mythical Man-month Good for laying bricks, not always so for software development

20. 20 Link Tasks On toolbar: Link & Unlink buttons –Good for many at once Or via Gantt chart –Drag from one task to another

21. 21 Milestones Zero duration tasks Insert task ‘normally’ but put 0 in duration

22. 22 Make Assignments Approach 1. Using Task Sheet –Using Resource Names column –You can create new ones by just typing-in here 2. Using Assign Resources dialog box –Good for multiple resources –Highlight task, Tools/Resources or toolbar button 3. Using Task Information dialog –Resources tab 4. Task Entry view –View/More Views/Task Entry –Or Task Entry view on Resource Mgmt. toolbar

23. 23 Save Baseline Saves all current information about your project –Dates, resource assignments, durations, costs

24. 24 Fine Tune Then is used later as basis for comparing against “actuals” Menu: Tools/Tracking/Save Baseline

25. 25 Project 2002 3 Editions: Standard, Professional, Server MS Project Server 2002 Upgrade of old “Project Central” Includes “Project Web Access”, web-based UI (partial) Workgroup and resource notification features Requires SQL-Server and IIS “Portfolio Analyzer” –Drill-down into projects via pivot tables & charts “Portfolio Modeler” –Create models and “what-if” scenarios SharePoint Team Services integration

26. 26 Project 2002 MS-Project Professional –“Build Team” feature Skills-based resource matching –Resource Pools: with skill set tracking –Resource Substitution Wizard “Project Guide” feature –Customizable “process component”

27. 27 Homework McConnell: 5 “Risk Management”, 14 “Feature-Set Control” Schwalbe: 10, “Project Risk Management”, Appendix A “Guide to Using Microsoft Project 2000” (447-477) Install MS-Project if you haven’t done so already

28. 28 Questions?