Project Management Techniques and tools Move mouse over arrow to enter presentation End Show

Introduction There are various techniques and tools which can be used to assist in ensuring that a project is carried out efficiently. This should have the effect of Ensuring that the project doesnt over run Delays are spotted quickly and steps taken to rectify them Keep within the allocated budget

Software & Techniques Project Management Software Critical Path Analysis Gantt Chart PERT Questions

Project Management Software Software that allows you to construct and build CPA, PERT and Gantt charts. Software allows lines of responsibility to be drawn and teams to be allocated. Deadlines and tasks can be set and monitored. Reports on all aspects of the project created – personnel, deadlines, financial.

Critical Path Analysis (CPA) The critical path of a project is the path from start to end – longest path in the project. Establishes all the task required to complete a project. Allows an overview of tasks and schedules and moves overdue tasks into the critical path allowing extra resources/monitoring of the task.

Gantt Chart The ability to communicate is a definitive prerequisite for successful management of a project. Graphical displays such as gantt-charts usually make the information easy to identify and thus are the prime means for tracking cost. The gantt-chart is a mean of displaying simple activities or events plotted against time. An activity represents the amount of work required to proceed from one point to another. Events are described as either the starting or ending point for either one or several activities. Gantt-charts are advantageous in that they are simple to understand and easy to change. They are the least complex means of portraying progress (or lack of it) and can easily be expanded to identify specific elements that may be either behind or ahead of schedule

Benefits of Gantt Charts The benefits for project management, that gantt-charts can result in, include: Cutting project cost and reducing the time scale Coordinating and expediting planning Eliminating idle time Obtaining better scheduling and control for subcontractor activities Developing better troubleshooting procedures Cutting time for routine decisions, but allowing more time for decision making

PERT - Program Evaluation Review Techniques Shows relationship and dependencies between tasks.

Questions 1. A range of software packages can be described as Project Management Software. What is project management software and what does it do? 2. Describe six facilities that you would expect to find in project management software. 3. Project management software is being used to describe a large project. Briefly describe a) Three tasks that the software will be able to perform b) Three tasks that the project manager will have to perform without the aid of software.