1 Project Management & Project Management Software Yale Braunstein School of Information Management & Systems UC Berkeley

2 Getting started  Think in terms of tasks & resources  Tasks should be easily defined  There should be a “reasonable” number of tasks  Task properties: duration, predecessors, etc.  “Critical” tasks  Milestones  Summary tasks (optional, but useful)  Assign resource(s) to each task

3 Sample sets of tasks - 1  This example is adapted from a project a few years ago. It includes tasks that are “do it” and “analyze it” in nature. (Tasks are not in chronological order.) 1. Create master stock element records for all current stock elements. 2. Transfer stock elements on neg to analog video. 3. Link videotapes' metadata to master stock records. 4. Progress report due in IS Develop plan to link metadata for existing high-res digital versions of stock elements to master records in template database. 6. Analyze possible low-res movie file standards. 7. Decide on low-res movie file standard to be used in new system. 8. Create low-res movie files of all existing analog video and/or high-res digital copies of stock elements. 9. Final report due in IS Compare in-house asset management system development with purchase of 3rd-party software. 11. Migrate data from template database to newly developed database. 12. Begin testing usability and accuracy of new system. 13. Publish new stock elements database on company intranet.

4 Sample sets of tasks – 2a  Meet with client and decide on scope of project  Develop information gathering plan  Design survey  Get authorization for survey  Pilot-test survey  Revise survey  Select sample for survey  Administer survey  Analyze survey results  Compile list of candidate systems  Develop template for comparing alternatives  Decide on "short list"  Do detailed technical analysis of alternatives  Do detailed cost analysis of alternatives

5 Sample sets of tasks – 2b  Tasks (continued)  Draft comparative sections of report  Revise comparative sections of report  Write implementation plan  Write evaluation plan  Write final report  Prepare oral presentation  And here are the milestones:  Submit information gathering protocol and instrument  Submit progress report  Submit economic feasibility report  Submit process diagram(s)  Submit final report  Give oral presentation

6 Project 2000 “project map”

7 Project 98 “project map”

8 A Non-linear View

9 Planning Phase Analysis Phase Design Phase Implementation Phase 2: System Request 2: Feasibility Analysis 3: Work Plan 3: Staffing Plan 3: Risk Assessment Project Plan Go/No-Go Decision Project Plan Revised Go/No-Go Decision Project Plan Revised System Proposal System Design System Delivery 4: Analysis Plan 5: As-Is System Summary 6: As-Is Use Cases 6: As-Is Process Model 7: As-Is Data Model 5: To-Be System Concept 6: To-Be Use Cases 6: To-Be Process Model 7: To-Be Data Model 5: Improvement Opportunities 8: Physical Process Model 8: Physical Data Model 9: Infrastructure Design 9: Network Model 9: Hardware/Software Specifications 9: Security Plan 10: Interface Structure 10: Interface Standards 11:User Interface Template 11: User Interface Design 12: Data Storage Design 13: Program Structure 13: Program Specifications 8: Revised Use Cases 14: Test Plan 14: User Documentation 14: Tested System 8: Design Plan 15: Conversion Plan 15: Change Management Plan 15: Support Plan Delivered System 14: Programs Project Assessment 3: Charter 3: Standards

10 Using MS Project  Initial steps  Set initial parameters  Enter tasks  Link tasks  Enter resources  Assign resources to tasks  Additional steps  Enter milestones  Enter fixed costs

11 Analysis with MS Project  Look at Critical Path & identify slack  Use MS Project's "Gantt Chart Wizard"  Check if resource used more than 100%  Group tasks; Split tasks  Remember baselines  Customize printouts

12 Track progress with MS Project  Several alternatives  Enter % completed  Enter time to complete  Enter date completed (more than one is allowed)  Choose additional reports

13 Determine the Critical Path  What is the critical path?  The critical path is the series of tasks (or even a single task) that dictates the calculated finish date of the project. That is, when the last task in the critical path is completed, the project is completed.  If it's important for your project to finish on schedule, pay close attention to the tasks on the critical path and the resources assigned to them. These elements determine whether your project will finish on time.

14 Critical Path - continued  The series of tasks are generally interrelated by task dependencies. Although there are likely to be many such networks of tasks throughout your project plan, the network finishing the latest is the project's critical path.  Note that the critical path can change from one series of tasks to another as you progress through the schedule. The critical path can change as critical tasks are completed, or tasks in another series of tasks are delayed. There is always one overall critical path for any project schedule. The new critical path then becomes the series of tasks you track more closely to ensure the finish date you want.

15 Gantt chart

16 Tracking Gantt chart

17 The critical path Using the PERT Chart view

18 The critical path Using View / More Views / Detail Gantt