Overview

MS Project is one of the most comprehensive and popular project management tools. Knowing how to utilise its features will enable you to successfully define, initiate and schedule a project, control and execute a project while communicating progress through reports and views.

This “hands-on” intensive 2-day course focuses on using the MS Project software and features to create a project plan, using a Work Breakdown Structure and Network Diagram and producing over-all project durations and costs. You will use the software’s advanced features to fine tune the project’s scheduling and resource allocation. You will leave with a better understanding of how to use the many features incorporated into the system to make managing any project simpler and more effective.

Why Should an Individual Attend?

If you are involved in any aspect of a project in a private organisation or in government, you will learn:

• The easiest and fastest way to create a project plan using a Quick Reference Guide.
• What to look out for when receiving someone else’s project plan.
• How to avoid errors.
• To customise your fields and set-up user-defined fields.
• To use Views & Tables and customise these to enhance your reporting.
• To use formulas to extract data and get the reports you want.
• How to keep a history of Resource costs and use a Resource Pool.
• How to create a Master Project.
• How to resolve Resource overallocations.
• How to set a Baseline and update an executing project with Work/Actual Work and Overtime etc.

Outcomes

On completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Quickly and accurately setting up a Project in the MS Project environment and ensure it is correct and reflects the exact needs and specific scope of your project
• Prepare a comprehensive Task Schedule to define essential activities and milestones that will provide time frames for when each activity needs to be completed
• Establishing your project’s “Critical Path”, allowing you to constantly monitor and re-assign resources to vital tasks which could otherwise delay the entire project
• Use customised, graphically illustrated reports drawn from the MS Project software as vital communication tools to ensure all team members are kept up to date with the progress of the project
• Monitoring, control and track the progress of the project, stage by stage, by comparing Baseline Estimates with Actual Costs to ensure you keep control of the variances
• Make the most of the “shortcuts” made available in the MS Project software, saving you valuable time while improving the overall structure and management of your project

Program Outline

Why Use MS Project for Managing a Project?

• Utilising the power of a computerised planning tool
• Graphically displaying progress for easy monitoring
• Mapping the impact of delays and changes on the project
• Applying MS Project to a wide range of business projects

Formulating Your Project Plan

• Starting with the Project Objective
• The importance of setting the scope
• Identifying important issues
• Obtaining involvement of the team

Setting up the Project on Microsoft Project

• Defining your Project from the start
• Setting the MS Project environment correctly for your project’s needs and scope
• Common mistakes during setup that can be avoided

Preparing the Task Schedule

• Adding and structuring activities
• Deciding on level of detail vs simplicity
• Defining milestones
• Linking activities
• Optimising the network
• Preparing the time frames

Conducting Resources Allocation

• Allocation of tasks to team members
• Assigning responsibilities in the program
• Linked task and resource planning
• Highlighting free time and over allocation

Optimise the Project Plan Using Information Drawn from MS Project

• Establishing the "Critical Path"
• Identifying "vital" activities for high level supervision
• Re-assigning resources to optimise time
• Conducting if-then scenario planning to gauge effects of unforeseen delays (e.g. illness, strike etc.)
• Effect of adding extra resource
• Defining key milestones to focus on
• Taking advantage of slack time

Making Microsoft Project Function as a Communication Tool

• Generating easily accessible up to the minute, graphically illustrated reports
• Establishing the effects of task delays on the total project
• Collecting task status, results, and new estimates from team members
• Using MS Project features to pass relevant information to all team members.

Monitoring and Controlling the Project Process

• Understanding the importance of tracking progress
• Preparing a schedule baseline
• Updating the schedule as activities are completed.

Monitoring the Critical Path

• Using task leaders to update their own sections
• Using the baseline vs. actual to check your project’s health

Time-Saving Techniques when using Microsoft Project

• Utilising different views
• Discovering shortcut keys and other tips
• Setting up a project using different bases
• MS Office integration options

Printing Views and Reports

• Using the standard MS Project reports
• Customising reports to different detail levels
• Using MS-Project information to compile progress reviews

Who Should Attend?

• Engineers
• Tecnicians
• Designer
• Team Leaders
• Engineers
• Property Developers
• Project Managers
• Programme Managers
• Project Executives
• Project Sponsors
• Project Support Office
• Consultants