Microsoft Project 2010

Transcription

1 YJTJ (Your Job Tool s Job) Educational Series YJTJ Presentation Using Microsoft Project 2010 Provided By

2 YJTJ (Your Job Tool s Job) Session Objective This session is designed to provide a simple, yet powerful understanding of a proven mindset project managers should possess each time they open Microsoft Project and work project schedules. By the end of this session, you will be able to: Describe the Milestone Consulting Group YJTJ Process. YJTJ (Your Job Tool s Job) Auto Schedule Mode Microsoft Project is indeed a scheduling tool, and a powerful one at that. Therefore, a good mindset for allowing Microsoft Project to be a scheduling tool is warranted. The YJTJ process is designed to create a mindset for quickly beginning to understand the core responsibilities of the user and the tool. Mastering the YJTJ process will greatly assist you with using Microsoft Project on a day-to-day basis. Your Job It is Your Job to provide Microsoft Project with information related to the schedule including but not limited to: Tool s Job 1. The (Resource) that will perform the work of the task. 2. The percentage of time (Units) the resource is available to work on the task. 3. The level of effort (Work) required to complete the task. It is the Tool s Job to calculate the schedule, i.e. Task Start and Finish dates. At every point throughout the project life cycle, we highly recommended that you allow Microsoft Project to do its job. 1

3 Testimonials Tom Nerud, PMP 3M Medical Markets Engineering I feel I really picked up some expert tips Also, the how tos, dos and don'ts around the YJTJ issues of task scheduling and resource availability and assignment were absolutely eye-opening. The curtains were ripped open and light was shed on some aspects of Project that have been driving me up a wall. Things I suspected that I was doing wrong, but didn't have time to dig into and figure out in more detail. Jennifer Borek and Kristi Maynor Mary Kay Corporation Instant Message conversation from one of the participants in the September YJTJ session: Maynor, Kristi says: I declare your 'YJTJ' class a success! Borek, Jennifer says: Really? What happened? Maynor, Kristi says: I just did a brand new project plan and didn't have to start over or get frustrated once!!! Thought you'd like to know ;-) 2

4 Project Initiation Project Start or Finish Date During project initiation, it is your job to provide Microsoft Project with a project start date or a project finish date. For this session a project start date will be set. YJ: enter (set) the project start date. To do so, the following steps are required: 1. From the Project tab, Properties group, select Project Information 2. From the Project Information dialog box, set the project Start date as shown in the following illustration: Project Information dialog box 3. When finished, click OK 3

5 TJ: calculate Task Start and Finish dates as shown in the following illustration: Gantt Chart view 4

6 Project Planning: Tasks Task Dependencies During task planning, it is critical to clearly identify dependencies between tasks. A good mindset for task dependencies is to apply only those dependencies that are mandatory in nature or mandatory by company process. Task dependencies are one of the most commonly misused features in Microsoft Project. YJ: create mandatory in nature or mandatory by company process task dependencies. To do so, the following steps are recommended: 1. Select the dependent tasks 2. From the Task tab, Schedule group, click the Link Tasks button as shown in the following illustration: Gantt Chart view 5

7 TJ: calculate Task Start and Finish dates as shown in the following illustration: Gantt Chart view 6

8 Task Constraints During task planning, it is critical to clearly identify task constraints. A good mindset for task constraints is to apply only those constraints that are based on contractual obligations and other task specific issues. Task constraints are one of the most commonly misused features in Microsoft Project. YJ: apply task constraints based on contractual obligations and other task specific issues. To do so, the following steps are recommended: 1. Double-click the task to be constrained 2. From the Task Information dialog box, select the Advanced tab 3. Select a Constraint type and a Constraint date as shown in the following illustration: Task Information dialog box 4. Select the Notes tab, and enter a note clearly describing the reason for constraining the schedule 5. When finished, click OK 7

9 TJ: calculate Task Start and Finish dates as shown in the following illustration: Gantt Chart view Please review the following: Your Job is to provide Microsoft Project with information related to the schedule, and in return Microsoft Project will create the schedule, i.e. calculate Task Start and Finish dates: the Tool s Job. This concept is extremely important when discussing constraints. Whenever you enter a Task Start or Finish date, Microsoft Project will automatically apply a constraint whether or not your intention was to add a constraint. Even if you intended to add a constraint, you may not receive the desired constraint. Therefore, it is indeed a best practice to leave the Task Start and Finish date fields to Microsoft Project to calculate. If a date constraint is needed, please double-click the task and apply the appropriate Constraint Type and Constraint Date on the Advanced tab of the Task Information dialog box. With a solid understanding of constraints, you can receive the same outcome but on your terms. Otherwise, you are allowing Microsoft Project to interpret what it thinks you mean which may be incorrect. 8

10 Project Planning: Assignments Assignment Process During assignment planning, it is critical to have a thorough understanding of Microsoft Project s scheduling engine. This includes the programming biases built into the tool along with Duration, Task Types, and Effort Driven. It is at this point during project planning where the YJTJ process comes full circle. YJ: enter the Resource Name to be assigned to the task along with a Units value and a Work value. To do so, the following steps are recommended: 1. From the View tab, Task Views group, apply the Gantt Chart view 2. From the View tab, Split View group, select Details 3. From the Task Form, select a Resource Name, and then enter a Units value and a Work value as shown in the following illustration: Task Entry view 4. When finished, click OK 9

11 TJ: calculate Task Start and Finish dates as shown in the following illustration: Task Entry view 10

12 Project Execution Entering Actual Work During project execution, it is critical to understand that when actual work values are being entered into the project schedule, Microsoft Project will continue to do its job. For example, in specific situations, if actual work values differ from scheduled work values on Fixed Units and Fixed Work tasks, Microsoft Project will recalculate Task Start and/or Finish dates. If remaining work is greater than 0 at the end of the duration period on a Fixed Duration task, Microsoft Project will recalculate Task Start and/or Finish dates. YJ: enter actual work values into the Microsoft Project schedule. To do so, the following steps are recommended: 1. From the View tab, Task Views group, apply the Task Usage view 2. From the Format tab, Details group, select Actual Work 3. Enter actual work values in the timephased grid as shown in the following illustration: Task Usage view 11

13 TJ: calculate Task Start and Finish dates as shown in the following illustration: Task Usage view 12

14 Project Execution: Remaining Work in Past Time Periods At this point, if remaining work continues to be scheduled in a past time period, the remaining work should be rescheduled to the current date or a future date. YJ: reschedule remaining work from a past time period. To do so, the following steps are recommended: 1. From the Project tab, Status group, click Update Project 2. From the Update Project dialog box, select Reschedule uncompleted work to start after:; select a status date; and then select Entire project or Selected tasks as shown in the following illustration: Update Project dialog box 3. When finished, click OK 13

15 TJ: calculate Task Start and Finish dates as shown in the following illustration: Tracking Gantt view 14

16 Monitoring and Controlling Rescheduling When making changes to the project schedule, it is critical to have a thorough understanding of Microsoft Project s scheduling engine. This includes the programming biases built into the tool along with Duration, Task Types, and Effort Driven. It is at this point in the project life cycle where once again the YJTJ process comes full circle. YJ: make adjustments to resource assignment details. To do so, any of the following methods are recommended: Add additional resources to an Effort driven task Increase working time (Units) for an assigned resource as shown in the following illustration: Task Form view 15

17 TJ: calculate Task Start and Finish dates as shown in the following illustration: Tracking Gantt view 16

18 Project Closure Closing Open Tasks During project closure, it is critical to understand how to close out tasks with remaining work greater than 0. As in all previous examples, we highly recommended that a safe distance be kept from entering values in the Task Start and Finish date fields. A good mindset for project closure is to close out remaining work on tasks, and if necessary adjust a task s Task Type. YJ: close out tasks with remaining work greater than 0. To close out a task with remaining work greater than 0, the following steps are recommended: 1. Apply the Task Entry view (Gantt Chart view over Task Form view) 2. Select the task to be closed out in the upper pane (Gantt Chart view) 3. Press F6 to activate (navigate to) the lower pane (Task Form view) 4. From the Format tab, Details group, select Work 5. From the lower pane (Task Form view) change remaining work (Rem. Work) to 0 as shown in the following illustration: Task Entry view 6. When finished, click OK 17

19 1. TJ: calculate Task Start and/or Finish dates, and mark the task 100% complete as shown in the following illustration: Task Entry view 18

20 YJTJ (Your Job Tool s Job) Manually Schedule Mode While working in Manually Schedule mode, your job remains the same which is to provide Microsoft Project information related to the schedule. Manually Schedule mode, simply stated, provides a means in which to input duration and date values in situations where schedule information may be limited and/or confidence is low. In Manually Schedule mode, it is perfectly acceptable to manually enter Task Start and Finish date values as shown in the following illustration: Gantt Chart view Once schedule information becomes more concrete (duration estimates made, dependencies established) and you are ready to change from Manually Schedule to Auto Schedule mode, the fundamental principle of YJTJ, allowing Microsoft Project to calculate Task Start and Finish dates at all times, continues to apply. This is indeed a proven best practice, and should be adhered to at all times. Gantt Chart view 19

21 PMI PDU Information Course ID: MCG 132 Course Name: MCG YJTJ Overview Closure and Contact Information Thank You for attending today s session! Please note that today s session touched on some of the primary components of Milestone Consulting Group s YJTJ (Your Job Tool s Job) process. This highly effective process includes many other components related to project management and Microsoft Project. For further information, please contact: Jason Rice Educational Consultant Milestone Consulting Group drenier@milestoneconsultinggroup.com mobile Matt Messerli VP of Sales Milestone Consulting Group mattm@milestoneconsultinggroup.com mobile 20