redhat.

com|Managingyourprojectswith Planner
segundafeira,3junho2013,10:32AM

ManagingyourprojectswithPlanner
byRosannaYuen

Projectplanning Creatingaproject Creatingatask Usingyourresources UsingtheGanttChart Showingothers Furtherreading Abouttheauthor

Projectplanning
Projectmanagementsoftwareisausefultoolinplanningandschedulingaproject.Plannerisanapplication thatattemptstomakeprojectplanningeasierbypresentingyourinformationineasytoreadchartsandtables. Thescreenshotsandexamplesinthisarticlearetakenwithversion0.13ofPlannerwhichistheversionthatis shippedwithFedoraCore4andRedHatEnterpriseLinux4.IfyoudonothavePlanneronyoursystem, youcaninstallitonFedoraCore4orRedHatEnterpriseLinux4withthefollowingcommand:

up2dateplanner

Alternately,youcandownloadthesourcefromtheGNOMEFTPsite.

Creatingaproject
StartPlannerfromthepanelbyselectingApplications>Office>ProjectManagement.ThePlannerwindow appearsasshowninFigure1,StartingPlanner.

Figure1.StartingPlanner

Planneroffersfourviewsforaproject.ThesefourviewsareshownintheshortcutbarontheleftofFigure1. StartingPlanner: GanttChartThedefaultview,graphicallyshowstheprojectinformation TasksListstheprojecttasksintableformat ResourcesListsavailableresourcesintableformat ResourceUsageGraphicallyshowswhenresourcesarefree,used,andoverbooked Aswehavenotenteredanydatayet,theviewsallappearblank. Thefirststepistonametheproject.FromthePlannermenu,selectProject>Editprojectproperties.The windowshowninFigure2.Settingprojectpropertiesappears.

Figure2.Settingproj ectproperties

EnterthenameofyourprojectintheNameentry.TheStartentryhastoday'sdateenteredbydefault.However, ifyourprojecthasadefinitestartdate,youcanenterthatdateinstead.

Important: Notsurprisingly,notaskscanoccurbeforethisstartingdate.

Enterthemanageroftheprojectandhis/herorganizationintheappropriatefields.

Note: ThistoplevelmanageristheonlypositioninPlannerwherethepersondoesnothaveto belistedasaresource.

TheCalendarsettingassignsthechosencalendarforalltheresourcesassociatedwiththisproject.The availablehoursinthedefaultcalendarareMondaythroughFridayfrom8:0012:00andfrom13:0017:00andno availablehoursonSaturdayandSunday.Ifyouwanttochangethedefaultcalendar,youmustcreateone. RefertothesectioncalledWorkinghoursformoredetails.

Figure3.Creatingcustomproperties

IfyouwanttorecordprojectpropertiesthatarenotlistedontheGeneraltab,clicktheCustomtabinthe window.SelectAddtodisplayawindowthatpromptsyoufortheName,Label,Description,andType.Valid typesareIntegernumber,Floatingpointnumber,andText.Onceyouhavenamedanddescribedtheproperty, selectOK.ThevaluecanbeeditedbyclickingintheValuefieldnexttothepropertyasshowninFigure3. Creatingcustomproperties.

Tip: Thecustompropertiesareaisagreatplacetorecordcontactinfoontheclient.

ClickClose.Theprojecthasbeennamedanddescribed.Thenextstepistolistthetasks.Butfirst,youshould save.Fromthemenu,selectFile>Save.

Important: Plannerdoesnothavearecoveryfeature.IntheeventPlannerisclosedwithout saving,allchangesmadesincethelastsaveislost.Remembertosaveoften.

Creatingatask
Tostartaddingtasksforyourproject,selecttheTasksviewfromtheshortcutbarontheleft.Althoughyoucan edittasksfromtheGanttChartview,doingitfromtheTasksviewallowsyoutoeditmoretaskrelatedfields. ClicktheInserttaskbuttonfromthetoolbar.Ablanktaskappearsinthewindow.ClickintheNamefieldto enterthenameofthetask. Tomoveataskupordownthelist,selectthetaskandchooseActions>MoveTaskUp(orMoveTaskDown) fromthepulldownmenu.Tomakeataskasubtaskoftheonedirectlyaboveit,selectthetaskandselect Actions>IndentTask.

Note: Planner'smenusandtoolbarbuttonsaredifferentforeveryview.

Onceyouhavecreatedallyourtasks,yourtaskviewshouldlooksomethinglikeFigure4.Listingtasks.The tasksinboldarethetopleveltasksandcanbeconsideredstagesofactivity.Thetasksthatarenotinboldare thesubtasks.

Figure4.Listingtasks

Workvs.duration AllthetasksinFigure4.Listingtasksstatethattheytakeoneday.ClickontheWorkfieldofthetasktoenter thecorrectamountoftimethetasktakes.Ifyouonlyenteranumber,Plannerassumesyoumeandays.To entertimeinhours,enteranhafterthenumber.

Note: Ifataskhassubtasks,theworktimeforthattaskisautomaticallycalculatedand cannotbemanuallyentered.

TasksettingscanalsobeenteredwiththeEditTaskwindowasshowninFigure5.Editingtaskproperties. SelectthetaskyouwanttoeditandselectActions>EditTask.

Figure5.Editingtaskproperties

EverytimeyouenteranamountoftimeforWork,Durationisrecalculated.TheDurationistheamountofwork timedividedbytheamountofresourcesassignedtoit.Atthemoment,thetwonumbersareequalasPlanner assumesthereisonepersondedicatedtothetaskwhennoneareassigned. Ifatasktakesasetamountoftimetocompleteregardlessofthenumberofresourcesavailable,selectthe Fixeddurationoption. Milestones MilestonescanbesetbyselectingtheMilestonecheckboxundertheNamefield.Milestonesdonothaveany durationandshouldbereservedforcheckpointsinyourproject.IntheexampleinFigure4.Listingtasks,I wouldchangetasks1.3(Projectapproval)and3.6(Buildingcomplete)intoMilestones. Trackingprogress Asworkprogressesonyourtasks,youcanincreasethepercentageintheCompletefieldasshowninFigure 5.Editingtaskproperties.ProgressbarsareshownintheGanttChartusingthesenumbers. Keepingnote SelectingtheNotestabgivesyouatextwindowforyoutokeepanynotesonthetask.ClickingtheTime Stampbuttonentersthecurrenttimeintothetextfieldincaseyouwanttodateyournotes. ViewingtheGanttchart Nowthatyourtasklistiscomplete,selecttheGanttChartviewfromtheshortcutbar.TheGanttChartappears asshowninFigure6.TheGanttChart

Figure6.TheGanttChart

TheGanttChartisaprojecttimeline.Thedatescanbereadatthetopofthechart.Thetasksarenamedonthe leftwiththecorrespondingbartotheright.Taskswithsubtasksappearasabracket,taskswithoutsubtasks areshownasacoloredbar,andmilestonesarerepresentedbyadiamond.

Note: ThecoloredbarinFigure6.TheGanttChartfortask1.2ispartlyshaded.Thisis becausethecompletionpercentageofthattaskissetto30.Afullycompletedtaskwouldbe entirelyshaded.SeethesectioncalledTrackingprogressformoredetails.

Tip: EventhoughthemenusaredifferentintheGanttChartviewfromthetaskview,youcan stilledittaskshere.SelectActions>EditTaskProperties...toopentheEditTaskProperties window.

Settingdependencies Becausewehavenotestablishedanydependencies,thePlannersetsallstepstostartassoonaspossible. Formostprojects,thisisnotpossible.Tocreateadependency,moveyourpointertothemiddleofthefirst taskintheGanttChartviewandclick.Dragthearrowthatappearstothedependenttask.

Warning: Ifyourpointericonisatwosidedarrow,clickinganddraggingchangestheduration oftheproject.Makesureyouhavearegularpointericonbeforeclicking.Ifyouarehaving troublebecausethebaristoosmall,zoominbyselectingView>ZoomIn.

Plannerassumesafinishtostartdependency.Thismeansthesecondtaskcannotstartuntilthefirstoneis finished.Tochangethedependencytoastarttostartdependency(thetwotasksmuststartsimultaneously)or

toaddalagorleadtimetothedependency,selectthedependenttaskandopenthetaskpropertiesediting window(Actions>Edittaskproperties...).SelectthePredecessorstab.Thedependenciesyouhavecreated forthistaskareshowninthelist.Tochangetoastarttostartdependency,clickintheTypefieldandselect SS.Tocreatealagtimebetweentasks,clicktheLagfieldandentertheamountoftimeneeded.Tocreatea leadtime,enteranegativenumberinthisfield. Toremoveadependency,gotothePredecessorstab,selectthedependency,andclickRemove.

Usingyourresources
Tocreatealistofresources,firstselecttheResourcesviewfromtheshortcutbar.Hereyoucanenteryour humanandnonhumanresources.AsampleofaresourcepageisshowninFigure7.Theresourceview.

Figure7.Theresourcev iew

Tip: Resourcesdonotnecessarilyhavetobehuman.YoucansetthetypetoMaterialifyou wanttotracktoolsormeetingrooms.

Creatinganewresource ClickingAddResourceinthetoolbarcreatesanewblankresource.ClickintheNamefieldtoenterthenameof theresource.Allthefieldsinthetableareeditable.Someusefulonesinclude: ShortNameInitialsorabbreviationtouseaslabelsintheGanttChart. TypeSelectWorkforhumanresourcesorMaterialfornonhumanones. EmailTheperson'semailaddress Ifyouwanttoentermultipleresources,selectActions>InsertResourcesfromthemenu.AnInsertResource windowappearsasshowninFigure8.Addingresources.WhenyouclickInsert,theentryshowsupinthe resourceviewwindowandtheInsertResourcelabelclearsitsentries.Whendone,clickCanceltoclosethe

window.

Figure8.Addingresources

Workinghours Everyresourcehasacalendarassociatedwithit.Thiscalendarshowswhentheresourceisavailableforwork. ThedefaultcalendarthatcomeswithPlannerhasatypicalworkschedule:MondaythroughFriday,from8amto noon,andfrom1pmto5pm.However,thiscalendardoesnotincludeholidaysorconsiderdifferentshifts(or timezones).

Figure9.Addingresources

Tochangetheavailabletimesforaresource,youmustcreateacalendar.FirstselectProject>Manage calendars.TheCalendarEditorappearsasshowninFigure9.Addingresources.SelectNew...togettheNew Calendarwindow.

Figure10.Addingresources

Whencreatinganewcalendar,youhavethreeoptions.Youcanhavethenewcalendar: DerivefromacalendarYournewcalendarisasubsetofthecalendarselectedontheleft.Anychangesmadeto theselectedcalendarinthefuturewillbereflectedinthiscalendar. CopyanexistingcalendarAduplicateofthecalendarselectedontheleftiscreated.However,newchanges madetotheselectedcalendarwillnotbereflectedinthiscalendar. CreateanewcalendarAblankcalendariscreated. Tomarkholidaysonacalendar,selectthedatefromtheCalendarEditorwindow,selectNonworkingfromthe Setdaytypetomenu,andclickApply. Tochangehours,selectWorkingTime...fromtheCalendarEditorwindow.Selectthetypeofday(thedefault onesareWorkingandNonworking),enterthehoursinmilitarytime,andclickApply.Tocreatemoretypesof days(suchashalfday),selectProject>EditDayTypefromthemainPlannerwindowandclickAddinthe EditDayTypeswindow.

Warning: Ifyoumakeachange,remembertoclickApply.Otherwisethechangeisnot recorded.

Onceyouhavecreatedyourcalendars,youneedtoassociateyourresourcestothem.Selecttheresourceand selectActions>EditResourceProperties...fromthePlannermenu.Inthenewwindow,selecttheCalendar tabandchoosethecalendaryouwant. Assigningresources Nowthatyouhaveresources,youcanassignthemtoyourtasks.ReturntotheGanttChartviewbyselecting theGanttChartbuttonintheshortcutbar.Selectataskontheleft,selectActions>EditTaskProperties..., andselecttheResourcestab.SelectoneormoreoftheresourcesandclickClose.Notethattheresource's shortnameisshowntotherightofthetaskintheGanttChart. Resourceusage Nowthatyourtaskshaveallbeenassigned,howdoyourworkers'scheduleslook?SelecttheResourceUsage fromtheshortcutbar.AnexampleoftheresourceusageviewisshowninFigure11.Resourceusageview.

Figure11.Resourceusagev iew

Eachresourcehasabarthatspanstheentiretimelineoftheproject.Greenareasaretimesthattheresource isfree.Blueareasaretimestheresourceisassignedatask.Redareasaretimesthattheresourceis overbooked.Underneatheachresourceisalistofallthetaskswhichhasbeenassignedtotheresource.In Figure11,Resourceusageview,Mr.Rochesterhasbeenassignedtopurchasematerialsandclearthesiteat thesametime.

UsingtheGanttChart
Nowthatallyourprojectinformationhasbeenentered,returntotheGanttChart.Thisviewisthemostusefulin seeingalltheinformationatonce.AnexampleofacompleteGanttChartisshowninFigure12.Acomplete GanttChart.

Figure12.AcompleteGanttChart

What'soverdue? Plannerdrawsadottedverticalliketorepresentthecurrentday.Anyprojectstotheleftofthislineshouldbe completed.Ifyouhavebeenupdatingthecompletenesspercentagesastheprojectprogresses,allthebarsto theleftshouldhavegrayshading.Anybarsthataretotheleftofthislineandarenotcompletelyshadedare overdue.Figure12.AcompleteGanttChartshowsthattheprojectisbehindastask2.1isbehindschedule. Criticalpath Thecriticalpathofaprojectisthepathoftasksthatmustbecompletedintimesotheprojectisnotdelayed. Toseethesetasks,selectView>HighlightCriticalPath.Thetasksinthecriticalpathareshowninred.To turnoffthecriticalpathview,selectView>HighlightCriticalPathagain. Movingtasks IfyouwanttoreorderyourtasksintheGanttChart,selectthetaskyouwanttomoveandselectActions> MoveTaskUporMoveTaskDown.

Note: Subtaskscannotbemovedabovethetaskthatownsitnorcanitbemovedbelow anotherTask.

Showingothers
Plannercurrentlyoffersacoupleofwaysforyoutoshareyourplanswithothers:printingtopaperorexporting toHTML.Eachmethodproducesdifferentresults.Printingallowsyoutochoosebetweenthreeoftheviews (GanttChart,Tasks,andResources)whileexportingtoHTMLshowsallthedataononepage. Printing Fromthemainmenu,selectFile>Print.Theprintwindowappears.SelecttheSelectviewstabandchoose oneormoreviews.TheviewsarethesameastheviewsinthePlannerwindow.Selectyourprinterandpaper

options.ClickPrintPreviewtoseewhatyourprintoutlookslike.

Tip: IfyouselectPrintPreviewandthepreviewwindowappearsblank,makesureyouhaveat leastoneprintviewselected.

SincePlanner'sprintingoptionsonlyprintoutthreeoftheavailableviews,theprintoutslacksomevital information.Forexample,thenameofyourprojectandalltheprojectpropertiesaremissing. ExportingtoHTML ToexportthefiletoHTMLformat,selectFile>Export>HTML.Plannerpromptsyouforthenameofthe HTMLfile. ThisHTMLfilecontainstheprojectpropertiesatthetopaswellasthethreeviews(GanttChart,Tasks,and Resources)allononepage.However,theexportprocessdoesnotseemtoretainthecriticalpathinformation, nor,moreimportantly,doesitdrawthedependencyarrows. OpenOffice.orgCalc PlansareunderwaytoallowexportingthedatatoOpenOffice.orgCalc,theOpenOffice.orgspreadsheet program.ThisfeatureisslatedtobereleasedinthenextversionofPlanner.

Furtherreading
ImendioDeveloperpagesforPlanner. MailinglistPlannermailinglist. ProjectmanagementTheWikipediaarticleonprojectmanagement.

Abouttheauthor
RosannaYuenisanavidc omputeruserwhooftenfindsherselfsurroundedbycomputerprogrammers.Shec owroteAisleRiotandisa dabblerintheGNOMEproject.Inhersparetime,shereads,knits,andexperimentsinherkitc hen.