Project 2013 For Dummies

Chapter 19

Getting Better All the Time

In This Chapter

Reviewing your successes and failures

Comparing versions of the same project

Creating a template for future projects

Have you ever finished a project and then wondered how in the heck it turned out the way it did? The budgeted totals mystically appear to be several thousand dollars over the original estimates; you missed the final deadline by three weeks; and somewhere along the line, you lost track of three people who were supposed to be working on tasks. But you delivered the deliverables (somehow), and you can finally stuff the project file in the bottom of a drawer. Or can you?

Don’t think of Microsoft Project as simply a giant electronic to-do list; rather, it’s a sophisticated tool that’s used to manage projects. And the logical byproduct of that management is a fantastic treasure trove of information you can use to become a more highly skilled Project user — and, thus, a more competent project manager.

After you send the last memo related to the project and accept the final kudos or criticism from your boss, take a moment to look over the Project schedule one more time.

Reviewing the Project

When I teach classes in project ...