Microsoft Project 2007 (Part 1 Review)

Here's a quickie of what is in this new parcel

MULTIPLE LEVEL UNDO
Previously undo is only available ONCE.
Pro- Helps those newbies to backtrack their errors done 4 hours ago!
Con- Data integrity is questioned as changes can be "forced" on


What if situations
This new gimmic allows you to get a feel of what will happened to the project when a change comes into play, yet keeping the original program intact.
FINALLY A SOLUTION MARKING THE DEATH OF SAVING AS BASELINE

Colour Bands
The whole program can now be colour banded to show areas under different constraints, previously this can be done using GROUP BY

Multiple Types of Charts
The title says it all

PROJECT MANGEMENT SEMINARS

Enclosed is the latest list of Organizations conducting Project Management Training & Seminars


Contact
Bob Nizam (my partner in crime)
0122385356
For Special rates & customized training modules

BASELINE USE from Yazeer of Borneo

Yeargh!!!! May I add, Doc to spice da blog wee bit?

No ONE RIGHT answer for this

My short 2 pesos view:
Users of program, its your choice of how to manage your project :)
i.e how you plan, track progress, manage changes, note stuffs, how to impress the client & the aweks/jantans etc
Use what's working and what's you're comfortable with.

On the program use, baselining may be useful if:
1- Your tracking is update resource usages; or update Actual Start/Finish/Duration/Remaining Duration (instead of update %) = Doing those updates may affect the START/FINISH parameters. so your gantt chart will look nuts = Client (non-Doc Syed's stud-ent) confused, unhappy, your boss unhappy etc

2- For less-confusing graphical presentation purposes (you need to adjust the layout of your Gantt Chart to show only BASELINE BAR)

As long as you don't confuse your client, should be fine!

Confused w my typings? Just stick to what Doc preached!


>> Yazeer (bad Tok Guru student)
Hihihihi.... I use baseline!

Project Manager's Attire

Dedicated to someone "Clever"

To Baseline or not to Baseline

Well yes, most contractors in Malaysia (and lots of Government People too) save their program as Baseline.

Don't blame these people for this mistake, Since when they are not sure of something, they normally follow by DEFAULT.

BASELINE is use to give "reality" to your program. In other words, the program will "Expand" if there is a delay (Also See my Lecture on EOT entitlement on Delays to work elements)and "shrink" when there is an acceleration or faster completion of a certain work element.

Most people call for BASELINE PROGRAM to be submitted, why they do so, you have to ask them! Maybe because they think a very BIG word will make them look smart, poor guys/gals are only looking for trouble.

The fact is this, different nations have different contractual procedures, some contracts ALLOWS for the end date to change as per delays or accelerations.

Malaysian work contract DOES NOT ALLOW for the end point to change due to delays or accelaration UNTIL an approval for EOT is given by the Owners or their representatives

Simply said if you approve a baseline program you are telling your contractor of the people carring out the work, that they are entitled to EOT for ALL DELAYS including their own (for instance no workers, no skills, no hope)

There are some people who say they wish to save as Baseline so they can know when the project will eventually finish. Good idea,My question to these people is "How do you track your individual elements when their durations keep on changing?"

- My answer. See my Notes on EOT claims justification, Advanced Level handouts, April 2006, use 2 programs one with baseline and another without. To trace the differences between the two, use WBS analysis. This method is accurate but will need step by step guidance on how to do it. I'll try to simplify it in my future forums (or try to get a seat in my next seminar)

MICROSOFT in their HELP area for Microsoft Project 2000 and above states, a PROGRAM NEED NOT BE SAVED AS BASELINE. Previous version ask whether you want to save as baseline or without, Version 2003 DEFAULT NOT SAVING AS BASELINE

Cheers!

LATEST DISCUSSION (Project Tracking)
The following columns in Microsoft Project are used for-

% Complete
Tracks project progress based on physical duration or days

% Work Complete
Tracks the project progreaa based on manhours used or total manhours, please note here manhours is by WORK and totalls both man and machineries

USAGE OF FIXED COST COLUMN
Fixed cost is for entries of Lump Sum type of cost.
In general FIXED COST can be equaled to Manpower Cost + Mech Cost + Materials Cost + Profit or overheads, this value then transfer to Lump Sum into the COST column

A good way to track the items derived for Fixed Cost is to use NOTEs for the breakdown.

For MATERIALS BREAKDOWN
Try this.Go to the Resource heet
Type in the Resource Material name
Then change the TYPE to MATERIALS
Change the Material Lable to a unit of measurement you are using
Cick GANTT Chart
Select the Task which is using that material, double click
Select RESOURCE tab
Enter the Materials as a resource, enter quantity, OK


MORE DISCUSSION AVAILABLE IN THE

PROJECT MANAGEMENT Q and A Blog at the bottom

Project Management Terminologies

Predecessor – An “activity” before
Successor – An “activity” after
WBS or Work Breakdown Structure – How a project is broken down into smaller sections. E.G. Highest level is the “Project” followed by “A Section/Area within the Project”, then the next level is “The Work within that Section”
Level – WBS in terms of numerical arrangement or arrays. E.G. Level 1 is in the WBS @ Project, Level 2 (or coded as L1.1) is Level 2 @ Section, Level 3 (or coded as L1.1.1) etc
Link – The Relationship between two or more activities or task
CPM or Critical Path Method – The longest linked line of activities/task from Start to Finish (Milestone to milestone)

Project Management Advisory: Project Management Q&A

Project Management Advisory: Project Management Q&A

Project Management Q&A

OK finally a free place for Free advice on Project Management, Microsoft Project & Project Planning.

Its simple really, just click COMMENT and type in your questions and I will get back to you with the answer as soonest possible. It would be nice if you can register as a member as membership has its advantages (like free samples)

Or if you are of the shy type, then send me an e-mail at drsyed88@yahoo.com, and I will publish the answer here (and e-mail you a copy too).

Project Management Q&A