book

On Time! On Track! On Target! Managing Your Projects Successfully with Microsoft® Project

by Bonnie Biafore

March 2006

Intermediate to advanced

400 pages

10h 21m

English

Microsoft Press

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What’s on the CDUsing the CDSystem RequirementsSupport
What Is a Project?What Is Project Management?The Benefits of Project ManagementBottom-Line BenefitsBenefits for the Project TeamIn Summary
Project Selection and the Project ManagerCriteria for Selecting ProjectsCriteria You Can’t IgnoreLinking Projects to ObjectivesPrioritizing ProjectsFinancial MeasuresPayback PeriodNet Present Value or Discounted Cash FlowInternal Rate of ReturnRisks and OpportunitiesHow a Project Review Board WorksIn Summary
The Project Charter: Publicizing a ProjectWorking with Project StakeholdersIdentifying StakeholdersProject CustomerProject SponsorFunctional ManagerTeam MemberProject ManagerDocumenting Project StakeholdersObtaining and Maintaining CommitmentIn Summary

What Is Project Planning?Defining the ProblemCharting the CourseGetting Stakeholder CommitmentGetting Team Members’ Buy-InPointing the Team in the Right DirectionTracking ProgressPlans ChangeAn Overview of Project PlanningThe Project CharterProject Planning Step by StepThe Components of a Project PlanProblem StatementProject Mission StatementProject StrategyProject ObjectivesScope StatementDeliverables and Success CriteriaProject AssumptionsWork Breakdown StructureProject ScheduleProject Organization and ResourcesBudgetRisk Management PlanCommunication PlanQuality PlanChange Control PlanIn Summary
The Problem StatementIdentifying the ProblemAdding Constraints to a Problem StatementThe Project Mission StatementBuilding a Mission StatementWho’s the Customer?What Are We Trying to Accomplish and Why Is It Important?What Approach Are We Going to Take?Completing the Project Mission StatementProject StrategyIdentifying AlternativesFactors for Selecting a Project StrategyChoosing the Project StrategyIn Summary
The Scope StatementDeveloping a Scope StatementPreventing Scope CreepProject ObjectivesType of ObjectivesCharacteristics of Good ObjectivesProject DeliverablesIn Summary
What’s a Work Breakdown Structure?The Benefits of a WBSBuilding a WBS from the Top DownHow to Build a WBSStep One: Identify High-Level Tasks Using Project Deliverables and the Scope StatementStep Two: Fill In the Remaining Levels of Tasks That Make Up the Work in the Top-Level TasksStep Three: Revise the Structure of the WBSStep Four: Verify the Structure of the WBSWhen to Stop Building a WBSRecording a WBSCreating the WBS in ProjectModifying the WBSImporting a WBS into ProjectDetailing Work PackagesIn Summary
The Responsibility MatrixResponsibility LevelsCreating a Responsibility MatrixFiltering a Responsibility Matrix in Microsoft ExcelThe Project Organization ChartPutting a Project Team TogetherCreating Resources in ProjectMethods for Adding ResourcesAdding Resources ManuallyImporting ResourcesResource InformationBasic InformationCost InformationCategorizing ResourcesResource AvailabilityCreating a Resource PoolIn Summary
Estimating EffortEstimating Pitfalls and How to Avoid ThemBeware the Ballpark EstimateEstimating Work on Estimated ScopeThe Danger of Excessively Low EstimatesHigh Estimates Hurt, TooThe Problem with Padded EstimatesSensible Estimating PracticesGet the Right People to EstimateImprove Estimates As You GoApproaches for EstimatingStatistical EstimatingDefining the Sequence of WorkTypes of Task DependenciesIdentifying the Correct Dependency TypeCreating Task DependenciesAutomated DependenciesMaking Schedules Easy to MaintainThe Right and Wrong Way to Use Date ConstraintsDeadlinesAdding Schedule MilestonesTypes of MilestonesDecisionsProgressEventsDeliveriesCreating MilestonesRefining Task NamesNaming Milestones and DeliverablesUnique Task NamesAssigning Resources to TasksAssigning Resources in the Task SheetAssigning Resources in the Task FormUsing the Assign Resources Dialog BoxBuilding Reality into a ScheduleAccounting for ProductivityManaging Part-Time Workers and MultitaskersScheduling Around Nonworking TimeAdjusting Tasks for Resource EfficiencyShortening a Project ScheduleThe Fast-Track to an Early FinishChoosing Tasks to Fast-TrackPartial OverlapsRunning Tasks in ParallelA Crash Course on Project CrashingThe Danger in Crashing ProjectsTime Versus MoneyIn Summary
Understanding Capital BudgetsPutting Capital Budgeting into PracticeUsing a Capital Budgeting ToolCalculating Costs in a Project ScheduleSpecifying Rates for Work Resources in ProjectEntering Rates and Quantities for Material ResourcesSetting a Fixed Cost for a TaskExporting Costs from a Project ScheduleCreating a Filter to Show Only Work PackagesExporting Costs from a Project ScheduleIn Summary
A Quick ChecklistApprovals and CommitmentsThe Project NotebookProject BaselinesBaseline ScheduleBaseline BudgetA Day in the Life of a Project ManagerIn Summary
Gathering DataThe Data You NeedProgress on Work PackagesQualityProblems That Could Lie AheadObtaining Time and StatusTracking Schedule ProgressReviewing Schedule ProgressTables with Schedule-Related FieldsFilters for Checking Schedule ProgressReviewing Cost and Cost VarianceViewing Cost and Cost VarianceFinding Costs That Are Over BudgetProject Cost ReportsEarned Value Analysis: Schedule and Cost PerformanceEarned Value Status MeasuresAnalyzing an Earned Value GraphEarned Value PerformanceEarned Value in Microsoft ProjectSetting Options for Earned ValueViewing Earned Value in a TableCreating an Earned Value Graph in ProjectIn Summary
Motivating Project ResourcesDeveloping a TeamEvaluating People’s PerformanceWatching for People’s PerformanceWhat to Do with Problem PeopleReviewing People’s Performance Compared to the PlanIn Summary
Knowledge Is PowerThe Communication PlanWho Needs to Know?What Do You Communicate to Audiences?Types of Project InformationManagement StakeholdersFunctional ManagersTeam MembersWhat Communication Method Should You Use?Building a Communication PlanCreating Communication RemindersGuidelines for Good CommunicationWhat Is Communication?How to Get Messages ThroughLearning to ListenMeetings That WorkGuidelines for Good MeetingsSetting Up MeetingsRunning Meetings WellMeeting Follow-UpKickoff MeetingsProject Status MeetingsManagement MeetingsProject Status ReportsTaming E-MailIn Summary
An Overview of the Change Management ProcessWhat Do You Control with the Change Management Process?Managing Change RequestsWho Belongs on the Change Review Board?Tracking ChangesIn Summary
Simplifying Solution HuntingDisplaying Summary TasksDisplaying the Critical Path and BaselineFast-Tracking a ProjectOverlapping TasksRunning Tasks in ParallelSplitting Long Tasks into Short OnesScheduling Around Other TasksShortening Lag TimeAdjusting Resource AllocationChanging UnitsAdjusting Work ContoursAssigning OvertimeSubstituting ResourcesAdding Resources to Tasks to Shorten DurationModifying BaselinesSaving Additional BaselinesClearing a BaselineViewing Multiple BaselinesIn Summary
Cost, Scope, Quality, and ScheduleBalancing ActsReassigning ResourcesOptimizing the ScheduleBusiness DecisionsIn Summary
The Benefits of Managing RiskThe Risk-Management PlanIdentifying and Describing RisksAssessing RisksChoosing the Risks You’ll ManageResponding to RisksSetting Up Contingency FundsTracking RisksIn Summary
The Importance of Lessons LearnedCollecting Lessons LearnedMeeting Participants and What They DoProject ManagerLessons Learned FacilitatorScribeTeam MembersGround RulesAccentuating the PositiveAnalyzing ProblemsThe Importance of an AgendaDocumenting Lessons LearnedIn Summary
Project Closeout ReportsQuantitative ResultsQualitative InformationObtaining Customer AcceptanceProject TransitionsTransitioning ResourcesHanding Off InformationClosing Out ContractsIn Summary
Why Chronicle Project History?Save Documents for ReuseSave Project Performance for Future EstimatesInformation to Store about ProjectsWays to Build a Project ArchiveShared FolderShared WorkspaceMicrosoft Enterprise Project Management SoftwareIn Summary

Overview

Keep your project on time, on track, and on target! This practical guide focuses on the core skills you need to successfully manage any project with Microsoft Project. Includes a companion CD with sample Project templates.

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Publisher Resources

ISBN: 0735622566Supplemental Content Errata