Project Planning and Control with Microsoft Project

Overview

Effective planning and control is at the heart of successful project management and Microsoft Project is becoming an invaluable tool for those responsible for performing such functions on projects.Providing delegates with a pragmatic approach to planning and control, this course looks at the principles behind building and tracking a realistic, achievable and workable plan using Microsoft Project. Delegates may choose either Microsoft Project 2000, 2002 or 2003 for the hands-on exercises, depending on the needs of their business.
Case study exercises throughout the course enable delegates to explore the consequences of project decision making in a risk-free environment.

This course combines a mixture of lecture and practical hands-on exercises.

Prerequisites

• This course is suitable for those new to planning and control and/or Microsoft Project.
• PC keyboard literacy with experience of MS Windows.

Delegates will learn how to

• Produce project terms of reference
• Define a work breakdown structure
• Understand Microsoft Project global and local settings
• Use/create/modify views, tables and filters
• Create and analyse network diagrams
• Produce initial project estimates
• Allocate resources and estimates to tasks
• Identify and resolve resource conflicts
• Manage risk and identify/quantify contingency
• Develop strategies for reducing project duration
• Understand multiple project features and functions
• Update the plan and review project status

Course Outline.

Overview of MS ProjectNavigating in the Project 2000/2002/2003 environment; Global & local options (default settings); Views, tables & filters; Working with global, project & resource calendars; Organizer

Project Start-upDefining/agreeing terms of reference; Project 2000/2002/2003 set-up

Defining a Work Breakdown Structure
Top down approach; Milestones and deliverables; Entering/outlining the tasks; Use of templates; Defining task links; Adding task notes

Allocating Estimates and Resources to TasksDefining a resource pool; Producing initial project estimates; Estimating techniques; Assigning resources and estimates to tasks; Adjusting resource calendars; Assigning task constraints; Fixed units, duration & work; Effort driven tasks; Multiple resource rates; Assigning fixed costs

Reviewing the ScheduleRisk & contingency; Modifying the plan; Critical path analysis; Identifying and resolving resource conflicts; Resource levelling; Strategies for reducing project duration; Crashing the schedule

Planning for ControlFeedback mechanism & frequency; Identifing and quantifing control activities; Baselining the plan

Customising the EnvironmentDefining company standards; Modifing/creating views, tables, filters & reports

Project ControlUpdating the plan; Reviewing project status; Printing and reporting project information

Multiple Projects
Inserting project(s); Defining inter-project links; Resource sharing.

Related training courses

• Fundamentals of Project Management
• Project Management
• Project Leading