Application Extension 10a Part 4: Information Systems Management Application Extension 10a Introduction to Microsoft Project Experiencing MIS, Fourth Canadian Edition Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Study Questions What is project management software? How do I create and manage tasks? How do I manage resources? Q1 What is project management software? Q2 How do I create and manage tasks? Q3 How do I manage resources?

What is project management software? There are many types of project management software: Focusing on organizing tasks Managing resources or schedules Tracking employee work hours on different projects Providing repositories for storing and providing access to project documentation No one piece of project management software does it all Q1 What is project management software? There are many types of project management software. Some software focuses on organizing tasks. Other software helps you manage resources or schedules. Still other software tracks employee work hours on different projects, or provides repositories for storing and providing access to project documentation. What is important to understand is that no one piece of project management software does it all. So, the choice as to which software to use in an organization is something that takes careful analysis.

MS Project MS Project provides full-service product for the project management process Has largest number of installed users in project management software Provides an excellent entry point into how project management software differs from other applications Q1 What is project management software? Although no one product does it all, there are many products that provide strong support for the project management process. MS Project is an example of this type of full-service product. The program has the largest number of installed users in project management software and provides an excellent entry point into how project management software differs from other applications, such as spreadsheets and databases.

MS Project Looks like a spreadsheet, but it is a database product Has a sophisticated relational database that stores information about tasks, resources, schedule, baselines, and budgets Allows you to enter information into the database through specifically designed forms Presents the project data through specially designed “views” that often focus on one or two aspects of the project Q1 What is project management software? Though MS Project often looks like a spreadsheet, it is best described as a database product. Underlying MS Project is a sophisticated relational database that stores information about tasks, resources, schedule, baselines, and budgets. MS Project allows you to enter information into the database through specifically designed forms and then presents the project data through specially designed “views” that often focus on one or two aspects of the project. Since projects are often complex, it is difficult to present all of the information about them on one screen. So, MS Project provides a variety of screens to capture the full picture of the project.

Gantt View Q1 What is project management software? Figure AE10a-1 The Gantt Chart View in MS Project

Resource View Q1 What is project management software? Figure AE10a-2 The MS Project Resource Sheet

The Resource Usage Sheet Q1 What is project management software? Figure AE10a-3 The Resource Usage Sheet

How do I create and manage tasks? We begin with a brand-new file Open MS Project Select New File Create a blank project Now save this project as “Intro to MS Project” Q2 How do I create and manage tasks? Let us begin with a brand-new file. To do this, open MS Project, select New File, and create a blank project. Then, save this project as “Intro to MS Project.” If you are successful, your screen should look like the screen in Figure AE10a-4.

Blank Project in MS Project Q2 How do I create and manage tasks? Figure AE10a-4 Blank Project in MS Project

Adding a Task Click in the first row of Task Name column Type “Requirements” Press Enter Q2 How do I create and manage tasks? You are now ready to add a task. Start at the top of the Task Name column and complete the following: 1. Click in the first row of Task Name column. 2. Type “Requirements.” Press Enter. Figure AE10a-5 Adding a Task to a New Project

Creating Subtasks Select one or more tasks Then click the right tab button The three selected tasks then become subtasks The opposite happens when you select a task and click on the left tab button The higher-level tasks are given a different icon, which envelops all the subtasks within it The duration time for the tasks is equal to the largest subtask duration This happens automatically when you create tasks and subtasks Q2 How do I create and manage tasks?

Preparing to Create Subtasks Q2 How do I create and manage tasks? Figure AE10a-6 Preparing to Create Subtasks

Project Tasks and Subtasks Created Q2 How do I create and manage tasks? Figure AE10a-7 Project Tasks and Subtasks Created

Creating Dependencies Some tasks cannot be completed until other tasks are completed There is often a dependency between two tasks One task therefore becomes the predecessor The other task is the successor These dependencies are crucial for creating a meaningful schedule To assign predecessors, we use the task window in MS Project Q2 How do I create and manage tasks?

Assigning a Predecessor to a Task Q2 How do I create and manage tasks? Figure AE10a-8 Assigning a Predecessor to Task 3—Focus Group

Project Gantt Chart after Dependencies Q2 How do I create and manage tasks? Figure AE10a-9 Project Gantt Chart after Dependencies

How do I manage resources? We use the Resource Sheet view in MS Project The view can be selected by clicking on the View menu and highlighting the Resource Sheet view Once the Resource Sheet is selected, a blank resource sheet pops up The resource sheet is empty, because no one has filled in the information about the people who may be working on your project Enter information into the resource sheet Q3 How do I manage resources?

Completed Resource Sheet Q3 How do I manage resources? Figure AE10a-11 Completed Resource Sheet

Adding Resources to Tasks Assign people on resource sheet to the tasks defined earlier Click on the View menu and highlight the Gantt Chart view Start by assigning resources to Task 2, Interviews To add a resource, double click on the Task 2, Interviews row Click on the Resource tab and you will get a form that allows you to add resources to the task Click in the top box in the resource table and you will see a drop-down box appear Q3 How do I manage resources?

Assigning a Resource to a Task Q3 How do I manage resources? Figure AE10a-12 Assigning a Resource to a Task

Resources Allocated to Tasks Q3 How do I manage resources? Figure AE10a-13 Resources Allocated to Tasks

The Resource Usage View Q3 How do I manage resources? Figure AE10a-14 The Resource Usage View of the Project

Active Review Q1 What is project management software? Is MS Project more like a spreadsheet or a database? What is a Gantt chart? What are dependencies? What is the Resource Sheet view of a project? How does the Resource Sheet view differ from the Resource Usage view? Can you show a Network Diagram for a project?

Active Review Q2 How do I create and manage tasks? Can you open a new MS Project file? Can you add tasks to a new project? Can you create subtasks within a task list? Can you create a dependency between two tasks? Can you enter resources into the resource page?

Active Review Q3 How do I manage resources? Can you select the Resource Sheet view? Can you add information about resources (std. rate, ovt. rate, etc.)? Can you add resources to tasks? How does adding resources change the Gantt Chart? Can you select the Resource Usage view?