50250: Mastering Microsoft Project 2007
Two DaysInstructor-led
About this Course
This two day instructor-led course provides students with the knowledge and skills to plan and manage projects using Microsoft Project 2007.
To get the most from any project management software, the user must understand the project management techniques upon which the software is based. This course presents the most popular project management software in the context of how a project manager will use it. Participants in this course learn the functions of the software and the project management concepts which make the software effective.
This presentation begins with the basic concepts and leads participants through all the functions theyll need to plan and manage a small to medium-sized project, including how to level resources and capture both cost and schedule progress
Audience Profile
This course is intended for Project managers and projects support personnel who need to apply the discipline of project management using Microsoft Project 2007.
At Course Completion
Understand the discipline of project management as it applies to using Project.
Create a work breakdown structure.
Identify task relationships.
Define resources within Project.
Make work package estimates.
Create an initial schedule.
Create a resource leveled schedule.
Manage and track the project through the software.
Format output and print reports.
Integrate multiple projects.
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course. However, it is helpful to have taken an introductory project management course, such as Versatiles Principles of Project Management.
Course Outline
Module 1: Introduction to Mastering Microsoft Project
This module provides an overview of how the features of Project relate to the job of the project manager.
Lessons
What Is a Project?
The Five Project Success Factors
The Project Lifecycle: A Framework for Success
Project Definition and the Project Plan
The Five-Step Planning Model
How Project Management Software Displays Information
Navigating the Software
Understanding Views
Quick Access to Views and Tables
Split Screen Views
Insert a Column
Custom Fields
The Project Guide
Custom Project Guides
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Define a project and the project lifecycle.
Relate the information and views displayed by Project to the job of the project manager.
Describe the difference between views and tables.
Be able to use a split screen view.
Understand the purpose of custom fields.
Module 2: Creating a Work Breakdown Structure
This module explains how to enter and format a work breakdown structure, including guidelines for naming tasks and building a WBS that is a foundation for project communication.
Lessons
Identifying Project Tasks
Show Project Summary Task
Organizing the WBS
Grouping
Grouping Demonstration and Discussion
WBS Number vs. Outlining
Task Outline Numbers
Custom WBS Numbers
Application of a WBS Prefix (Mask)
WBS Before and After the Prefix (Mask) I Applied
Task Notes
Evaluating the WBS
Before Entering a WBS
WBS Templates
Using a Template
Editing a Template
Creating a Template
Lab : Manipulate a WBS
Manipulate a WBS
Use the Grouping feature
After completing this module, students will be able to:
create a useful work breakdown structure and enter it into Project.
Participants will be able to use Project to:
Build and use summary and subordinate tasks.
Understand and use milestones.
Develop WBS outlines.
Assign completion criteria.
Evaluate the WBS.
Understand and use WBS templates.
Module 3: Identifying Task Relationships
This module explains how to establish task relationships using three different methods and view task relationships using a Network Diagram and Gantt Chart. Students will understand how task relationships can be used to create a project schedule.
Lessons
Determining Task Sequence
Types of Task Relationships (Dependencies)
Methods of Creating the Relationship
Using Lag to Manage Time Between Tasks
Lag, Lead and Delay
The Network Diagram
Formatting the Network Diagram
Formatting to Show Specific Data
Formatting to Network Diagram
Lab : Display the Sequence
Display the Sequence
After completing this module, students will be able to:
understand the rules for establishing dependency links between tasks and be able to use Project to establish and display these dependencies.
Participants will be able to use Project to:
Understand and use the types of task relationships.
Understand and use various methods to create relationships.
Determine and display task sequence.
Understand and use Lag, Lead and Delay.
Module 4: Defining Resources within Project
This module explains how to enter resources and specific resource information in Microsoft Project and assign resources to specific tasks.
Lessons
Resources
Resource Sheet
Resource Units
Resource Costs
Resource Costs: Cost Rate
Resource Calendar and Exceptions to the Base Calendar
Task Calendar
Resource Calendar
Exceptions to Calendars
Lab : Resource Calendar and Availability
Resource Calendar and Availability
After completing this module, students will be able to:
enter resources and resource related information into Project.
Participants will be able to use Project to:
Define individual resources that will be used on the project.
Record the cost(s) of using each type of resource.
Record the limit of availability for each type of resource by establishing a resource calendar and defining the maximum units of that resource.
Module 5: Making Work Package Estimates
This module explains how Microsoft Project calculates task duration, task work (effort) and task resources. Students will be able to choose among three task types as they enter task estimates and they will know which task type is appropriate for the type of estimate they are making.
Lessons
Work Package Estimates
Duration Estimates
Assigning Resources to Tasks
Effort and Task Types
Effort Driven Scheduling
Default Task Type and Effort Driven Settings
Resource Delay Within a Task
Lab : Work, Duration and Labor
Work, Duration and Labor
After completing this module, students will be able to:
enter estimates for duration and costs for each task.
Participants will be able to use Project to:
Assign values for resources, duration and labor.
Understand types.
Understand Effort Driven scheduling.
Module 6: Creating an Initial Schedule
This module explains how Project calculates a schedule based on task relationships and task duration. Students will understand the purpose of identifying critical path tasks and will be able to identify schedule float within the project.
Lessons
Calculate the Schedule: The Theory Behind the Software
Critical Path
Schedule Float
Constraints
Deadlines
Task Relationships and Crashing a Schedule
Milestones
Change Highlighting
PERT Estimating
Lab : Calculating an Initial Schedule
Calculating an Initial Schedule
After completing this module, students will be able to:
calculate float and identify a projects critical path.
Module 7: Create a Resource Leveled Schedule
This module explains how over-allocated resources create unrealistic schedules and shows methods for rescheduling in order to create a realistic schedule based on resource availability.
Lessons
Project Statistics
Resource Graph and Resource Sheet
Resource Usage View
Resource Allocation
Task Usage View
Realistic Resource Planning
Resource Leveling
Leveling Settings
Leveling Settings Defined - Leveling Calculations
Leveling Settings Defined - Resolving Overallocations
The Leveling Gantt Demonstrates Results of Leveling
Manual Leveling
Lab : Resource Leveling
Resource Leveling
After completing this module, students will be able to:
adjust a project schedule to account for limited people and other resources.
Participants will be able to use Project to:
View the overall cost and schedule of a project.
Identify resources that have been over allocated for a project schedule.
Use multiple ways to adjust tasks and assignments to remove over allocation for any resource.
Module 8: Managing the Project
This module explains how use Project to manage a project. Students will save their plan to a baseline and see how entering actual task performance data enables them to view differences between planned and actual performance.
Lessons
Tracking Field Definitions
Creating the Project Baseline
Displaying the Baseline on a Gantt Chart
The Tracking Gantt
Recording Progress Using % Complete
Updating Task and Resource Status
Recording Progress Using Actual Work
Variance
Percent Complete
Cost
Evaluating and Displaying Variance
Schedule Interruptions
Splitting Tasks
Rescheduling Work
Lab : The Baseline
The Baseline
Lab : Baselining & Tracking Performance
Baselining & Tracking Performance
Lab : Variance
Variance
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Set a baseline.
Enter and manage project performance data.
Pick a tracking method.
Perform variance analysis.
Module 9: Formatting Output and Printing Reports
This module explains how format the many views and reports available in Project.
Lessons
Using the Gantt Wizard
Visual Reports
Standard Reports
Custom Reports
Editing a Custom Report
Reports
Copy Picture to Office Wizard
More Formatting for the Gantt Chart
Reporting Against Budget
Creating a Budget
Lab : Reporting
Reporting
After completing this module, students will be able to:
print a variety of standard and custom reports.
Module 10: Managing Multiple Projects
This module explains how to view many projects as parts of one very large project in order to gain new views on resource availability and task relationships among projects.
Lessons
Integrating Multiple Projects
Consolidating Project Files
Resource Pools
The Consolidated Project: Is it Realistic?
Summary
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Use common resources among multiple projects.
Link tasks between projects.
Create a consolidated view of multiple projects.
