PROJECT MANAGEMENT

CONCEPTS

Academic Computing Services 2009

Project, Defined
Aprojectisanendeavortoaccomplishaspecificobjectivethrough
auniquesetofinterrelatedtasksandtheeffectiveutilizationof
resources.
Ithasawelldefinedobjectivestatedintermsofscope,schedule,and
costs.
Projectsarebornwhenaneedisidentifiedbythecustomerthe
peopleororganizationwillingtoprovidefundstohavetheneed
satisfied.
Itisthepeople(projectmanagerandprojectteam),nottheprocedures
andtechniques,thatarecriticaltoaccomplishingtheprojectobjective.
Proceduresandtechniquesaremerelytoolstohelpthepeopledotheir
jobs.
Academic Computing Services 2009

Examples of Projects
Planningawedding
Designingandimplementingacomputersystem
Hostingaholidayparty
Designingandproducingabrochure
Executinganenvironmentalcleanupofacontaminatedsite
Holdingahighschoolreunion
Performingaseriesofsurgeriesonanaccidentvictim
Academic Computing Services 2009

Academic Computing Services 2009

Phases of the Project Life

Cycle 1
The first phase involves the
identification of a need, problem, or
opportunity.
Theneedandrequirementsareusuallywrittenbythecustomer
intoadocumentcalledarequestforproposal(RFP).

Academic Computing Services 2009

Phases of the Project Life

Cycle 2
The second phase is the development of
a proposed solution to the need or
problem.
This phase results in the submission of a proposal.
The customer and the winning contractor negotiate
and sign a contract (agreement).

Academic Computing Services 2009

Phases of the Project Life

Cycle 3
The third phase is performing the
project.
Different types of resources are utilized
Results in the accomplishment of the project
objective

Academic Computing Services 2009

Phases of the Project Life

Cycle 4
The final phase is terminating the
project.
Perform close-out activities
Evaluate performance
Invite customer feedback

Academic Computing Services 2009

The Project Management

Process

Theprojectmanagementprocessmeansplanningtheworkand
thenworkingtheplan.
7stepsofplanning

1.Clearlydefinetheprojectobjective.
2.Divideandsubdividetheprojectscopeintomajorpieces
3.Definethespecificactivitiesforeachpiece(workpackage)
4.Graphicallyportraytheactivitiesthatneedtobeperformedfroeachwork
packageinordertoaccomplishtheprojectobjectiveintheformof
networkdiagram.
5.Makeatimeestimateforhowlongitwilltaketocompleteeachactivity
resourcesneeded.
6.Makeacostestimateforeachactivity.
7.Calculateaprojectscheduleandbudgettodeterminewhethertheproject
canbecompletedwithintherequiredtime,withtheallottedfounds,and
withtheavailableresources.
Academic Computing Services 2009

Project Control Process

Academic Computing Services 2009

Work Breakdown Structure

(WBS)

The second step is to determine what

activities need to be performed.
A list of all the activities must be
developed.
The WBS is a hierarchical tree of end
items to be accomplished.
A work item is one small piece of the
project.
A work package is the lowest-level item.
Academic Computing Services 2009

Academic Computing Services 2009

Microsoft Project WBS

Academic Computing Services 2009

1. Start new project

Turn on the Project Guide
On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the
Interface tab.
In the Project Guide settings section, select the
Display Project Guide check box.

Manually set up a new project

Academic Computing Services 2009

Project Project Information

or View Turn on project guide

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/project/HA102639631033.aspx
Academic Computing Services 2009

Tools - Options

Academic Computing Services 2009

Academic Computing Services 2009

2. Tasks
There are four major types of tasks:
1. Summary tasks - contain subtasks and their
related properties
2. Subtasks - are smaller tasks that are a part
of a summary task
3. Recurring tasks - are tasks that occur at
regular intervals
4. Milestones - are tasks that are set to zero
duration and are like interim goals in the
project
Academic Computing Services 2009

Add tasks

Academic Computing Services 2009

Insert new task

Academic Computing Services 2009

Outlining tasks

Academic Computing Services 2009

Tools Options - check Show project summary task

Academic Computing Services 2009

Academic Computing Services 2009

Predecessor

Academic Computing Services 2009

Tasks can be linked in four

ways
Finish-Start FS Predecessor finishes and the
other starts
Start-Finish S-F Task begins at the same
time as its predecessor
Finish-Finish F-F Both tasks finish at the
same time
Start-Start S-S Start of the predecessor
determines when the other starts

Academic Computing Services 2009

Constraints
Certain tasks need to be completed
within a certain date.
Intermediate deadlines may need to be
specified.
By assigning constraints to a task you
can account for scheduling problems.
There are about 8 types of constraints
and they come under the flexible or
inflexible category.
Academic Computing Services 2009

Academic Computing Services 2009

3. Managing task

Academic Computing Services 2009

Defining a Timeline
Find an optimistic value, D(o),
a pessimistic value, D(p) and
a realistic value, D(r) .
Then: Duration = ( D(o) + D(p) + 4 x D(r) ) / 6

Academic Computing Services 2009

The importance of tracking

progress
Techniques to manage projects effectively:

Critical Path Management (CPM) and

Program Evaluation and Review Techniques (PERT).
They are similar and you will now often find the technique referred
to as: CPM/PERT.
The technique involves using network models to trace the links
between tasks and to identify the tasks which are critical to
meeting the deadlines.
Once you've identified the critical path, any delay on any part of
the critical path will cause a delay in the whole project.
It is where managers must concentrate their efforts.
In MS Project, you use the Tracking Gantt diagram to show the
critical path in red and you can see the PERT diagram by looking at
the Network view.

Academic Computing Services 2009

Gantt Chart View critical

path
A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart that illustrates
a project schedule.
Critical path: View More views - Detail Gant

Academic Computing Services 2009

PERT diagram - Network

view

Academic Computing Services 2009

Views
Views allow you to examine your project from
different angles based on what information
you want displayed at any given time.
You can use a combination of views in the
same window at the same time.
Project Views are categorized into two types:
Task Views (5 types)
Resource Views (3 types)

Academic Computing Services 2009

Saving a baseline
Baseline plan: The original project plans used
to track progress on a project.
The baseline plan is a snapshot of your
schedule at the time that you save the
baseline and includes information about tasks,
resources, and assignments.
You can set a baseline for your project,
enabling you to compare your progress with
the original plan and any additional baselines
you set at milestones throughout your project.
Academic Computing Services 2009

Saving a Baseline
Tools Tracking Save Baseline

http://office.microsoft.com/home/video.aspx?
assetid=ES102776241033&width=1024&height=768&startindex=0&CTT=11&Origin=HA102751251033&app=WINPROJ&ve
r=12

Academic Computing Services 2009

RESOURCES

Academic Computing Services 2009

Manage the project

resources:

people
equipme
Resources are of three types:
nt
work resources, material resources and cost resources.
supplies
Work resources complete tasks by expending time on them. They are usually people
and
equipment that have been assigned to work on the project (you track their participation by the
amount of time they spend).
Material resources are supplies and stocks that are needed to complete a project. You assign
material resources by the quantity that you need: two tons of gravel or 300 gallons of diesel
fuel, for instance. Because materials aren't measured by time, quantities usually affect only
the cost of your project. Materials affect dates or duration only when you have to wait for those
materials to become available.
Cost. Cost resources are the new kid on the Project 2007 block, and they're strictly cost; no
time, no quantitiesjust dollars. Expenses, such as travel or fees, increase the project price
tag, but they aren't associated with work or material resources.

You must start by identifying the resources available along with their
costs.
Resource costs will be multiplied by duration to calculate project costs.
You have to open the Resource sheet to specify the project
resources and costs.

Academic Computing Services 2009

Academic Computing Services 2009

Fields in the Resource Sheet may be blank or contain different types of information
depending on the type of resource. For example, a work resource doesn't have a Material
label, and costs are calculated initially as dollars per hour. Material resources have a cost
per unitper pound, gallon, or pieceand the Material label field defines the units. Cost
resources receive a value only when you assign them to tasks.

Academic Computing Services 2009

Academic Computing Services 2009

Academic Computing Services 2009

Use the Detail Gantt view to

find slack (float)
On the View menu, click More Views.
In the Views list, click Detail Gantt,
and then click Apply.
On the View menu, point to Table, and
then click Schedule. In the chart
portion of the view, slack appears as
thin bars to the right of tasks, with slack
values adjoining the regular Gantt bars.
Academic Computing Services 2009

Academic Computing Services 2009

To shorten a project
schedule

Reduce duration of activities on critical path

More resources
Change their scope

Academic Computing Services 2009

Technically Constrained Activity Sequence

Academic Computing Services 2009

Resource-Constrained Planning

Academic Computing Services 2009

Painting Project Showing Needed Resources

Academic Computing Services 2009

Create a budget for your

project
Step 1: Create budget resources for your
project
Step 2: Assign the budget resources to the
project summary task
Step 3: Enter values for the budget resources
Step 4: Categorize resource costs according
to their budget type
Step 5: Group resources to view how they
compare against the budget
Academic Computing Services 2009

Step 1: Create budget

resources for your project
Create Budget-Travel and Budget-Labor on your
resource sheet

View Resource Sheet

Academic Computing Services 2009

Check
the check
box for
Budget

Academic Computing Services 2009

Step 2: Assign the budget

resources to the project
summary
task
Gent chart view Tools Options View Tab
Show project summary task (check box)
Task is added to the top of the project list. Select
this task.
Click on Button Assign Resources
Select the two budget resources you created earlier
and click Assign

Academic Computing Services 2009

Step 3: Enter values for the

budget resources
View Resource Usage view
Add Budget Cost and Budget Work fields (columns):
Insert Column Budget Cost and Budget Work
Add values for travel and Labor cost

Academic Computing Services 2009

Add: 15,000 for Budget-Travel and 30,000

for Budget-Labor (Budget Work column)
Academic Computing Services 2009

Step 4: Categorize resource

costs according to their
budget type
Create custom filed (column)
Open Resource Sheet view
Tools Customize Fields
Choose Resource text filed and rename: Budget
Type

Academic Computing Services 2009

Select Option Button: Roll down unless

manually entered
Add field to the resource sheet view: Insert column choose
Budget Type column ( you can now identify your resources as labor
or travel
Academic Computing Services 2009

Academic Computing Services 2009

Step 5: Group resources to view

how they compare against the
budget
Resource Usage view
Project Group by: No Group Customize Group
By - Select the Budget Type field

Academic Computing Services 2009

Academic Computing Services 2009

Viewing Project Cost

Information
Right click the Select All button and click Cost
Or
View Table: Entry Cost

Academic Computing Services 2009

Reports
Cost Report: Reports - Reports Costs Cash
Flow:
Edit Column list

Project Summary report: Reports Overview

Project Summary

Academic Computing Services 2009

Resource Usage Report

Academic Computing Services 2009

Current Activity Reports

Academic Computing Services 2009