Software Project Management

1. Software Project Management Session 6: MS-Project Intro & Mid-term Exam Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

2. Today • WBS Homework Review • Brief introduction to MS-Project • Exam Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

3. WBS Review • For process approaches • It sometimes appears that you think requirements = analysis = design • Or that doing a few diagrams (ERD, DFD) = requirements • Consistency • Consistent use of verb+noun descriptions of activities • Language • Inclusion of some phases but missing others • Some at beginning, some at end • Use of a spell checker (spelling counts in project plans too) Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

4. WBS Review • Disappearing ‘plot lines’ • Like designing a network or choosing hardware but never implementing • Consistency across phases • If ‘Development’ includes four major modules, typically ‘Design’ should reflect those same four • If using a ‘process’ model, then there should be a visible ‘flow’ to the process • Not like this: Systems Engineering, Hardware & Software, Project Management, Test, Training, Site Implementation Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

5. WBS Review • Some MS-Project plans had all 1 day assignments, • That's good for this point of process • This is prior to estimation • Tone & Content • Some are very “generic” • Tell me nothing about your system • Not enough to say 'requirements, analysis, design, etc, done’ Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

6. WBS Review • Some activities overly general 'Control Project‘ • Forget things at equal level like ‘architecture design’ • Think all activities through • Aim for a consistent level of detail • Know the basic order of things: testing doesn’t occur before development • Other details: QA is not part of ‘Rollout’ • I am lenient now but will be less so going forward Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

7. MS-Project • Mid-market leader • Has approx. 50% overall market share • 70-80% MS-Project users never used automated project tracking prior (a “first” tool) • Not a mid/high-end tool for EPM (Enterprise Project Mgmt.) Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

8. Project Pros • Easy outlining of tasks • Resource management • Accuracy: baseline vs. actual; various calculations • Easy charting and graphics • Cost management • Capture historical data Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

9. Project Cons • Illusion of control • Workgroup features ok, still in-progress • Scaling • No estimation features • Remember: • Being a MS-Project expert does not make you an expert project manager! • No more so than knowing MS-Word makes you a good writer. Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

10. The MS-Project Process • Move WBS into a Project outline (in Task Sheet) • Add resources (team members or roles) • Add costs for resources • Assign resources to tasks • Establish dependencies • Refine and optimize • Create baseline • Track progress (enter actuals, etc.) Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

11. Project Overview • This is a ‘quickie’ overview • We will return to all of these steps individually over the next few weeks • Sample project from McConnell Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

12. Project UI • Views • Default is Gant Chart View • 2 panes • Task Sheet on left (a table) • Gantt Chart on right • View Bar on far left Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

13. Project UI Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

14. Create Your Project • File/New • Setup start date • Setup calendar • Menu: Project/Project Information • Often left with default settings • Hours, holidays Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

15. Enter WBS • Outlining • Sub-tasks and summary tasks • Do not enter start/end dates for each • Just start with Task Name and Duration for each • Use Indent/Outdent buttons to define summary tasks and subtasks • You can enter specific Start/End dates but don’t most of the time Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

16. Establish Durations • Know the abbreviations • h/d/w/m • D is default • Can use partial • .5d is a half-day task • Elapsed durations • Estimated durations • Put a ‘?’ after duration Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

17. Add Resources • Work Resources • People • Material Resources • Things • Can be used to track costs • Ex: amount of equipment purshased • Not used as often in typical software project Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

18. Resource Sheet • Can add new resources here • Or directly in the task entry sheet • Beware of mis-spellings (Project will create near-duplicates) • Setup costs • Such as annual salary (put ‘yr’ after ‘Std. Rate’) Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

19. Effort-Driven Scheduling • MS-Project default • Duration * Units = Work • Duration = Work / Units (D = W/U) • Work = Duration * Units (W = D*U) • Units = Work / Duration (U = W/D) • Adding more resources to a task shortens duration • Can be changed on a per-task basis • In the advanced tab of Task Information dialog box • Task Type setting • Beware the Mythical Man-month • Good for laying bricks, not always so for software development Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

20. Link Tasks • On toolbar: Link & Unlink buttons • Good for many at once • Or via Gantt chart • Drag from one task to another Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

21. Milestones • Zero duration tasks • Insert task ‘normally’ but put 0 in duration Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

22. Make Assignments • Approach 1. Using Task Sheet • Using Resource Names column • You can create new ones by just typing-in here • 2. Using Assign Resources dialog box • Good for multiple resources • Highlight task, Tools/Resources or toolbar button • 3. Using Task Information dialog • Resources tab • 4. Task Entry view • View/More Views/Task Entry • Or Task Entry view on Resource Mgmt. toolbar Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

23. Save Baseline • Saves all current information about your project • Dates, resource assignments, durations, costs Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

24. Fine Tune • Then is used later as basis for comparing against “actuals” • Menu: Tools/Tracking/Save Baseline Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

25. Project 2002 • 3 Editions: Standard, Professional, Server • MS Project Server 2002 • Upgrade of old “Project Central” • Includes “Project Web Access”, web-based UI (partial) • Workgroup and resource notification features • Requires SQL-Server and IIS • “Portfolio Analyzer” • Drill-down into projects via pivot tables & charts • “Portfolio Modeler” • Create models and “what-if” scenarios • SharePoint Team Services integration Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

26. Project 2002 • MS-Project Professional • “Build Team” feature • Skills-based resource matching • Resource Pools: with skill set tracking • Resource Substitution Wizard • “Project Guide” feature • Customizable “process component” Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

27. Homework • McConnell: 5 “Risk Management”, 14 “Feature-Set Control” • Schwalbe: 10, “Project Risk Management”, Appendix A “Guide to Using Microsoft Project 2000” (447-477) • Install MS-Project if you haven’t done so already Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002

28. Questions? Q7503, Principles of Project Management, Fall 2002