Project 2010 For Dummies®

Chapter 1

Project Management: What It Is, and Why You Should Care

In This Chapter

Discovering how traditional project management makes the move to software

Understanding what elements of a project are managed in Project

Understanding the project manager’s role

Exploring the role of the Internet in project management

Using a template to start a new project

Saving a project file

Finding help in Project

Welcome to the world of computerized project management with Microsoft Project. If you’ve never used project management software, you’re entering a brave, new world. It’s like walking from the office of 25 years ago — with no fax, voicemail, or e-mail — into the office of today with its wealth of high-tech devices.

Everything you used to do with handwritten to-do lists, word processors, and spreadsheets all magically comes together in Project. However, this transition won’t come in a moment, and you need a basic understanding of what project management software can do to get you up to speed. If you’ve used previous versions of Project, this little overview can help you refresh your memory as well as ease you into a few of the new features of Project 2010.

So, even if you’re a seasoned project manager, take a minute to review this chapter. It provides the foundation for how you’ll work with Project from here on.

The ABCs of Project Management

You probably handle projects day in and day out. Some are obvious, because your boss named them so that any fool would know that they’re projects: ...