2. Understanding Projects and Project Management
by Teresa S. Stover, Bonnie Biafore, and Andreea Marinescu
Microsoft® Project 2010 Inside Out
- Microsoft® Project 2010 Inside Out
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- A Note Regarding Supplemental Files
- Introduction
- I. Project Fundamentals
- 1. Introducing Microsoft Project 2010
- 2. Understanding Projects and Project Management
- II. Developing the Project Plan
- 3. Starting a New Project
- Getting from Idea to Proposal to Project
- Focusing the Project Vision
- Creating a New Project Plan
- Entering Tasks
- Sequencing and Organizing Tasks
- Organizing Tasks into an Outline
- Setting Up Your Work Breakdown Structure
- Adding Supplementary Information to Tasks
- 4. Viewing Project Information
- Understanding Project Information Categories
- Accessing Your Project Information
- Switching Between Views
- Using Views
- Scheduling with Gantt Charts
- Highlighting Tasks with the Timeline
- Flowcharting with Network Diagrams
- Visualizing the Project with the Calendar
- Reviewing Assignments with the Team Planner
- Charting Team Availability with the Resource Graph
- Tabling with Sheet Views
- Timesheeting with Usage Views
- Seeing Details with Forms
- Cross-Referencing with Combination Views
- Using Tables
- Using Fields
- Arranging Your Project 2010 Window
- Navigating to a Specific Location in a View
- Rearranging Your Project Information
- 5. Scheduling Tasks Manually or Automatically
- 6. Building Your Schedule
- 7. Setting Up Resources in the Project
- Understanding the Impact of Resources in the Plan
- Adding Resources to the Project
- Removing a Resource from the Project
- Identifying Tentative, Generic, or Budget Resources
- Setting When Resources Are Available for Work
- Adding Detailed Resource Information
- 8. Assigning Resources to Tasks
- Assigning Work Resources to Tasks
- Assigning Material Resources to Tasks
- Assigning Cost Resources to Tasks
- Reviewing Assignment Information
- Changing Resource Assignments
- Contouring Resource Assignments
- 9. Planning Resource and Task Costs
- 10. Checking and Adjusting the Project Plan
- Working with the Critical Path and Critical Tasks
- Controlling Schedule Changes with Task Types
- Bringing in the Project Finish Date
- Reducing Project Costs
- Balancing Resource Workloads
- Changing Project Scope
- Reviewing the Impact of Changes
- Obtaining Buyoff on the Project Plan
- 3. Starting a New Project
- III. Tracking Progress
- 11. Setting a Baseline and Updating Progress
- Saving Original Plan Information Using a Baseline
- Updating Task Progress
- Updating Actual Costs
- 12. Responding to Changes in Your Project
- 11. Setting a Baseline and Updating Progress
- IV. Reporting and Analyzing Project Information
- 13. Reporting Project Information
- Establishing Your Communications Plan
- Using Views to Report Project Information
- Generating Text and Visual Reports
- Generating the Right Reports
- Summarizing with Overview Reports
- Focusing on Tasks with Schedule Progress Reports
- Using the Unstarted Tasks Report
- Using the Tasks Starting Soon Report
- Using the Tasks In Progress Report
- Using the Completed Tasks Report
- Using the Should Have Started Tasks Report
- Using the Slipping Tasks Report
- Using the Baseline Report in Visio
- Using the Baseline Work Report in Excel
- Using the Task Status Report in Visio
- Using the Budget Work Report in Excel
- Analyzing Budget Status with Cost Reports
- Using the Cash Flow Report
- Using the Cash Flow Report in Excel
- Using the Cash Flow Report in Visio
- Using the Baseline Cost Report in Excel
- Using the Budget Report
- Using the Budget Cost Report in Excel
- Using the Resource Cost Summary Report in Excel
- Using the Overbudget Tasks Report
- Using the Overbudget Resources Report
- Using the Earned Value Report
- Using the Earned Value Over Time Report in Excel
- Evaluating Resource Allocation with Assignment Reports
- Using the Who Does What Report
- Using the Who Does What When Report
- Using the To-Do List
- Using the Overallocated Resources Report
- Using the Resource Availability Report in Visio
- Using the Resource Work Availability Report in Excel
- Using the Task Usage Report
- Using the Resource Usage Report
- Using the Resource Work Summary Report in Excel
- Using the Resource Remaining Work Report in Excel
- Using the Resource Status Report in Visio
- Revising a Built-In Report
- Building a Custom Report
- Saving Project Data Fields
- Sharing Project Reports Electronically
- 14. Analyzing Progress Using Earned Value
- 13. Reporting Project Information
- V. Managing Multiple Projects
- 15. Managing Master Projects and Resource Pools
- Structuring Master Projects with Subprojects
- Consolidating Project Information
- Opening Multiple Project Files as a Set
- Sharing Resources by Using a Resource Pool
- 16. Exchanging Information Between Project Plans
- 15. Managing Master Projects and Resource Pools
- VI. Integrating Project 2010 with Other Programs
- 17. Exchanging Information with Other Applications
- 18. Integrating Project 2010 with Excel
- 19. Integrating Project 2010 with Visio
- 20. Integrating Project 2010 with Outlook
- 21. Collaborating as a Team by Using SharePoint
- Creating a Project Tasks List on a SharePoint Site
- Exchanging Project Information with SharePoint
- Synchronizing Changes Between Project and SharePoint
- Opening and Viewing Connected Project Information
- Collaborating with Team Members on Task Updates
- Assigning Tasks to Team Members
- Updating Task Progress
- Updating Task Progress in SharePoint
- Updating Task Progress in Project
- VII. Managing Projects Across Your Enterprise
- 22. Understanding Enterprise Project Management
- 23. Administering Your Enterprise Project Management Solution
- Signing In and Out
- Configuring Project Server Security
- Administering the Enterprise Resource Pool
- Establishing the Enterprise Portfolio
- Setting Up Project Workflows
- Standardizing Enterprise Project Elements
- Setting Up Team Member Work Pages
- Managing Pages, Views, and Reports
- 24. Managing Enterprise Projects and Resources
- Connecting to Your Project Server
- Working with Enterprise Projects
- Following a Project Workflow
- Building Your Enterprise Project Team
- Finding Resources to Meet Your Needs
- Building Your Project Team in Project Professional
- Building Your Project Team in Project Web App
- Identifying Resource Attributes by Using Custom Enterprise Fields
- Using Generic Resources as Placeholders
- Adding a Team Assignment Pool to Your Project Resource List
- Finding Enterprise Resources That Meet Specific Criteria
- Review Resource Assignments and Availability
- Replacing an Existing Project Resource with an Enterprise Resource
- Matching an Existing Project Resource
- Matching and Replacing Generic Resources
- Proposing Tentative Resources
- Assigning Tasks to Enterprise Resources
- Finding Resources to Meet Your Needs
- Collaborating with Your Project Team
- 25. Participating on a Team Using Project Web App
- Getting Started with Project Web App
- Working with Your Assignments
- Submitting Text-Based Status Reports
- Logging Time by Using Timesheets
- Working with Issues and Risks
- Setting Up E-Mail Reminders and Outlook Tasks
- Managing Resources in Project Web App
- 26. Making Executive Decisions Using Project Web App
- 27. Managing and Analyzing Project Portfolios
- VIII. Customizing and Managing Project Files
- 28. Customizing Your View of Project Information
- Customizing Views
- Changing the Content of a View
- Creating a New View
- Saving a View
- Changing Text Formatting in Views
- Formatting a Gantt Chart View
- Modifying the Timescale
- Modifying a Network Diagram
- Modifying the Timeline
- Modifying the Team Planner
- Modifying the Resource Graph
- Modifying the Calendar
- Modifying a Sheet View
- Modifying a Usage View
- Customizing Tables
- Customizing Fields
- Working with Outline Codes
- Customizing Groups
- Customizing Filters
- Sharing Customized Elements Among Projects
- Customizing Views
- 29. Customizing the Project 2010 Interface
- 30. Automating Your Work with Macros
- 31. Standardizing Projects by Using Templates
- 32. Managing Project Files
- Saving Project Files
- Opening Project Files
- Saving and Opening with Different File Formats
- Comparing Project Plans Side by Side
- Safeguarding Your Project Files
- 28. Customizing Your View of Project Information
- IX. Appendixes
- D. Index to Troubleshooting Topics
- E. About the Authors
- Index
- About the Authors
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You use a word-processing program to create a text document. You use a spreadsheet program to calculate sales and other types of numerical data. You use a publishing program to design and lay out a brochure. In these cases, the application helps you create the end result.
With Microsoft Project 2010, this isn’t so. Although Project 2010 helps you create a project plan, the actual project is executed by your team, which carries out tasks to fulfill the overarching goals of the project. It’s up to you, as project manager, to track and control the actual project, using the project plan as your essential road map. When effectively maintained, the project plan is a model that provides an accurate picture of what’s currently going on in your project, what has happened in the past, and what will happen in the future.
This chapter describes project basics and the stages of the project management process. It also outlines how Project 2010 fits into the world of your project. You’ll learn how you can use Project 2010 as your project information system—that is, the indispensable tool for modeling your project and helping you efficiently and successfully manage it.
If you’re new to project management, read this entire chapter. If you’re an experienced project manager but new to Microsoft Project, skip ahead to Facilitating Your Plan with Project 2010.
Although project management might overlap other types of management, it entails a specific set of management processes.
Organizations perform two types of work: operations and projects. A great way to define a project is to say what it is not, and a project is not an operation. An operation is a series of routine, repetitive, and ongoing tasks that are performed throughout the life of the organization. Operations are typically necessary to sustain the business. Examples of operations are accounts receivable, employee performance reviews, and shipping and receiving. Employee performance reviews might take place every six months, for example, and although the names and circumstances of employees and supervisors might change, the process of preparing and conducting employee reviews is always the same. In addition, it’s expected that employee reviews will be conducted throughout the life of the organization.
On the other hand, projects are not routine or ongoing. That is, projects are unique and temporary and are often implemented to fulfill a strategic goal of the organization. A project is a series of tasks that will culminate in the creation or completion of some new initiative, product, or activity by a specific end date. Some examples of projects include an office move, a new product launch, the construction of a building, and a political campaign. The same project never occurs twice—for example, this year’s product launch is different from last year’s product launch. There’s a specific end date in mind for the launch, after which the project will be considered complete. After the project is complete, a new and unique product will be on the market.
Projects come in all sizes. One project might consist of 100 tasks; another, 10,000. One project might be implemented by a single resource; another by 500. One project might take 2 months to complete; another might take 10 years. Projects can contain other projects, linked together with a master project consolidating them all. These subprojects, however, are all unique and temporary, and they all have a specific outcome and end date.
Project management is the coordinating effort to fulfill the goals of the project. The project manager, as the head of the project team, is responsible for this effort and its ultimate result. Project managers use knowledge, skills, tools, and methodologies to do the following:
Identify the goals, objectives, requirements, and limitations of the project.
Coordinate the different needs and expectations of the various project stakeholders, including team members, resource managers, senior management, customers, and sponsors.
Plan, execute, and control the tasks, phases, and deliverables of the project following the identified project goals and objectives.
Close the project when it is completed and capture the knowledge accrued.
Project managers are also responsible for balancing and integrating competing demands to implement all aspects of the project successfully, as follows:
Project scope. Articulating the specific work to be done for the project.
Project time. Setting the finish date of the project as well as any interim deadlines for phases, milestones, and deliverables.
Project cost. Calculating and tracking the project costs and budget.
Project human resources. Signing on the team members who will carry out the tasks of the project.
Project procurement. Acquiring the material and equipment resources, and obtaining any other supplies or services, needed to fulfill project tasks.
Project communication. Conveying assignments, updates, reports, and other information to team members and other stakeholders.
Project quality. Identifying the acceptable level of quality for the project goals and objectives.
Project risk. Analyzing potential project risks and response planning.
While project managers might or might not personally perform all these activities, they are always ultimately responsible for ensuring that they are carried out.
Balancing scope, time, and money is often among the biggest responsibilities of the project manager. These factors are considered the three sides of the project triangle. (See Figure 2-1.)
Figure 2-1. The project triangle is an effective model for thinking about your project’s priorities.
Inside Out: Project 2010 and the project management disciplines
Project 2010 supports many but not all of the management areas associated with project management. That is, while Project 2010 does a great job with project time and cost, it provides only glancing support for project procurement and project quality.
However, you can combine Project 2010 with other tools to create for yourself the full package of project management support. Use Project 2010 to capture the lion’s share of project information, including the schedule, milestones, deliverables, resources, costs, and reporting. Then draw upon other tools when needed to more fully handle responsibilities specifically associated with procurement or quality. Finally, come full circle with Project 2010 by adding notes to tasks or resources, inserting related documents, or hyperlinking to other locations.
For example, use Project 2010 to help estimate your initial equipment and material resource requirements. Work through your organization’s procurement process and compile the relevant data. Add the equipment and materials as resources in your project plan and add notes as appropriate, making the information easy to reference. Use a tool such as Microsoft Excel 2010 to help track the depletion of materials to the point where reorder becomes necessary. Even though Project 2010 can’t manage every aspect of your project, it can still be the central repository for all related information.
If you increase the scope, the time or money side of the triangle will also increase. If you need to reduce time—that is, bring in the project finish date—you might need to decrease the scope or increase the cost through the addition of resources.
Is It Really a Project Rectangle?
There’s some debate about how to accurately describe the key controlling elements that make up a project. Some believe that a project is best described as a triangle—the three sides representing scope, time, and money. Others say that it’s a square—with scope, time, money, and resources being the four sides, each one affecting the others. Additional debate suggests a hexagon of scope, time, money, resources, quality, and risk.
This book approaches money and resources as synonymous in this context because resources cost money. Adding resources adds money, and the only thing you’d need more money for would be resources. Quality and risk can arguably be considered part of scope. So in this book, the key demands for a project are conceptualized as a triangle with the three sides being scope, time, and money.
Note
For information about working with the project triangle and other competing demands to help control your project, see Chapter 12.
Project Management Practices: Balancing and Integrating Competing Demands
Whether you keep the project triangle, rectangle, hexagon, or other shape in mind as you manage your project depends largely on the priorities and standards set for your project and by your organization, and on the weight placed on certain demands over others. Knowing these priorities and standards can help you make appropriate decisions about the project as the inevitable issues arise. Although scope, time, and cost tend to be the most prevalent demands, the following is the full list of project controls:
Scope
Human resources
Quality
Time
Procurement
Risk
Cost
Communications
These project controls are also referred to as project knowledge areas. An additional knowledge area is project integration management—balancing the demands of these other project controls to succeed in meeting the goals of the project.
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