Project Management & Project Management Software

Yale Braunstein
School of Information Management & Systems

UC Berkeley

Getting started
Think in terms of tasks & resources

Tasks should be easily defined There should be a reasonable number of tasks Task properties: duration, predecessors, etc. Critical tasks Milestones Summary tasks (optional, but useful) Assign resource(s) to each task
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Sample sets of tasks - 1

This example is adapted from a project a few years ago.

It includes tasks that are do it and analyze it in nature. (Tasks are not in chronological order.)

1. Create master stock element records for all current stock elements. 2. Transfer stock elements on neg to analog video. 3. Link videotapes' metadata to master stock records. 4. Progress report due in IS208. 5. Develop plan to link metadata for existing high-res digital versions of stock elements to master records in template database. 6. Analyze possible low-res movie file standards. 7. Decide on low-res movie file standard to be used in new system. 8. Create low-res movie files of all existing analog video and/or high-res digital copies of stock elements. 9. Final report due in IS208 10. Compare in-house asset management system development with purchase of 3rd-party software. 11. Migrate data from template database to newly developed database. 12. Begin testing usability and accuracy of new system. 13. Publish new stock elements database on company intranet . 3

Sample sets of tasks 2a

Meet with client and decide on scope of project Develop information gathering plan Design survey Get authorization for survey Pilot-test survey Revise survey Select sample for survey Administer survey Analyze survey results Compile list of candidate systems Develop template for comparing alternatives Decide on "short list" Do detailed technical analysis of alternatives Do detailed cost analysis of alternatives
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Sample sets of tasks 2b

Tasks (continued)

Draft comparative sections of report Revise comparative sections of report Write implementation plan Write evaluation plan Write final report Prepare oral presentation
Submit information gathering protocol and instrument Submit progress report Submit economic feasibility report Submit process diagram(s) Submit final report Give oral presentation
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And here are the milestones:

Project 2000 project map

Project 98 project map

A Non-linear View

Planning Phase
3: Work Plan 2: System Request 2: Feasibility Analysis

3: Staffing Plan
3: Risk Assessment 3: Charter 3: Standards

Go/No-Go Decision

Analysis Phase
5: As-Is System Summary 5: To-Be System Concept
5: Improvement Opportunities

Project Plan

6: As-Is Use Cases

4: Analysis Plan 6: As-Is Process Model 7: As-Is Data Model

6: To-Be Use Cases

6: To-Be Process Model 7: To-Be Data Model

Go/No-Go Decision Project Plan Revised

Design Phase
System Proposal
8: Revised Use Cases 8: Physical Process Model 8: Physical Data Model 9: Infrastructure Design 9: Network Model 8: Design Plan 9: Hardware/Software Specifications 9: Security Plan 10: Interface Structure 10: Interface Standards 11:User Interface Template 11: User Interface Design 13: Program Structure

13: Program Specifications

Go/No-Go Decision Project Plan Revised

System Design

14: Programs 14: Test Plan 14: User Documentation

15: Conversion Plan 15: Change Management Plan

Delivered System

15: Support Plan

14: Tested System

Project Assessment

System Delivery

Implementation Phase

System Design

12: Data Storage Design

System Proposal

Project Plan

Using MS Project
Initial steps

Set initial parameters Enter tasks Link tasks Enter resources Assign resources to tasks

Additional steps

Enter milestones Enter fixed costs

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Analysis with MS Project

Look at Critical Path & identify slack

Use MS Project's "Gantt Chart Wizard"

Check if resource used more than 100% Group tasks; Split tasks Remember baselines Customize printouts

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Track progress with MS Project

Several alternatives

Enter % completed Enter time to complete Enter date completed (more than one is allowed)

Choose additional reports

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Determine the Critical Path

What is the critical path?

The critical path is the series of tasks (or even a single task) that dictates the calculated finish date of the project. That is, when the last task in the critical path is completed, the project is completed. If it's important for your project to finish on schedule, pay close attention to the tasks on the critical path and the resources assigned to them. These elements determine whether your project will finish on time.
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Critical Path - continued

The series of tasks are generally interrelated by task dependencies. Although there are likely to be many such networks of tasks throughout your project plan, the network finishing the latest is the project's critical path. Note that the critical path can change from one series of tasks to another as you progress through the schedule. The critical path can change as critical tasks are completed, or tasks in another series of tasks are delayed. There is always one overall critical path for any project schedule. The new critical path then becomes the series of tasks you track more closely to ensure the finish date you want.
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Gantt chart

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Tracking Gantt chart

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The critical path

Using the PERT Chart view

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The critical path

Using View / More Views / Detail Gantt

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