Project Management &
Project Management Software
Yale Braunstein
School of Information Management & Systems
UC Berkeley
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Getting started
 Think in terms of tasks & resources
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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
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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 IS208.
5. 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 IS208
10. 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 . 3
Sample sets of tasks – 2a
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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
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Sample sets of tasks – 2b
 Tasks (continued)
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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:
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Submit information gathering protocol and instrument
Submit progress report
Submit economic feasibility report
Submit process diagram(s)
Submit final report
Give oral presentation
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Project 2000 “project map”
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Project 98 “project map”
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A Non-linear View
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Planning Phase
2: System
Request
Project Plan
3: Work Plan
2: Feasibility
Analysis
3: Staffing Plan
3: Risk Assessment
Project Plan
5: As-Is System Summary
5: To-Be System Concept
6: As-Is Use Cases
4: Analysis
Plan
System Proposal
Analysis Phase
6: To-Be Use Cases
5: Improvement
Opportunities
6: As-Is Process Model
6: To-Be Process Model
7: As-Is Data Model
7: To-Be Data Model
9: Infrastructure Design
10: Interface Structure
9: Network Model
8: Physical Process
Model
8: Design
Plan
8: Physical Data
Model
12: Data Storage Design
System Design
8: Revised Use Cases
10: Interface Standards
9: Hardware/Software
Specifications
9: Security Plan
13: Program Structure
11:User Interface Template
11: User Interface Design
13: Program
Specifications
Implementation Phase
15: Conversion Plan
14: Programs
Delivered System
15: Change Management Plan
14: Test Plan
14: User Documentation
15: Support Plan
14: Tested System
Project Assessment
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System Delivery
System Proposal
Design Phase
System Design
Go/No-Go Decision
Project Plan Revised
Go/No-Go Decision
Project Plan Revised
Go/No-Go Decision
3: Charter
3: Standards
Using MS Project
 Initial steps
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Set initial parameters
Enter tasks
Link tasks
Enter resources
Assign resources to tasks
 Additional steps
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Enter milestones
Enter fixed costs
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Analysis with MS Project
 Look at Critical Path & identify slack
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Use MS Project's "Gantt Chart Wizard"
 Check if resource used more than 100%
 Group tasks; Split tasks
 Remember baselines
 Customize printouts
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Track progress with MS Project
 Several alternatives
Enter % completed
 Enter time to complete
 Enter date completed
(more than one is allowed)
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 Choose additional reports
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Determine the Critical Path
 What is the critical path?
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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.
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Critical Path - continued
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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.
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Gantt chart
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Tracking Gantt chart
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The critical path
Using the PERT Chart view
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The critical path
Using View / More Views / Detail Gantt
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