MS Project Svcs Productivity

10/14/08 1

Taking the Blinders off MS Project

byEd Mahler edmahler@paiwebsite.com

President, Project Administration Institute

Taking the Blinders off MS Project

andThe case for 3rd Party Scheduling Services

Taking the Blinders off MS Project

10/14/08 2

Contents Purpose The Schedule Basic building block of the schedule Enhancing MSP out of the box Customized fields Customizing the toolbar Execution Slippage, the ripple effect, and recovery Status summary, what changed Reporting via pdf Lessons learned The case for 3rd party scheduling service

References Benefits of 3rd party scheduling service

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Purpose

Planning - being able to see why the timing is what it is.

Execution - being able to see the effects of change and what can be done to stay on schedule.

This is not an MS Project class.

To illustrate how the MS Project schedule can be made more visible for

Contents

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Why so much interest in the schedule?

+ SME’s =

Sponsor

Schedule

’s vision

Project Manager

Cost

Tim

e

Scope

Project

Contents

Team/sponsor communicatio

n+ Contract

negotiation

=

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Why do we need a schedule/contract?

Sponsor Stakeholders

Will assume a schedule you may not like

Contents

Project team Project team’s managers Project office

So everyone agrees to what must be done by whom and when

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The Schedule

Contents

Must be visible so the parties understand what they are

agreeing to

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Task

Building block of the schedule

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Task/Resources

Successors

Duration

Predecessors

FS

Its attributes

Contents

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Task/Resources

Successors

PredecessorsFF

Its relationships

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Task/Resources

Successors

PredecessorsSS

Its relationships

Contents

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Task/Resources

Successors

Predecessors

Lag

Its relationships

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Task/Resources

Successors

Predecessors

Overlap

Its relationships

Contents

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Task/Resources

Successors

PredecessorsSF

Its relationships

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Task/Resources

Successors

External Dependenc

y

Its relationships

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Task/ResourcesDuration

Predecessors

Deliverables

Its relationships

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Understanding the schedule

Description (task name) How long it will take (duration)? Who will do it (resources)? What has to happen before this task can be done (predecessors)? What can’t happen until this task is done (successors)? External date constraints (constraint type and date)? – Must have

at least one! What are the project’s external deliverables (no successors)? –

Must have at least one! A picture of the schedule (Gantt diagram) – Nice to have If you want to be able to quantify and balance work load you need

to estimate how much of each resource’s time will be spent on the task?

Contents

For each task in the schedule what do you need to see?

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Where the schedule originates

An template created for the type of project being constructed

A prior plan for a similar project A list of tasks in text format that can be

copied into MS Project SME interviews An MS Project schedule for a project

that is already under wayContents

A schedule is constructed from any combination of the following

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MSP out of the box

Gantt diagram

The Gantt Chart view

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Gantt diagram

The Gantt Chart view

The Entry Table

The View menu

MSP out of the box

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The entry table

Gantt diagram

Task nameTask duration

Task start Task finish

Predecessors

Resources

The Gantt Chart view

Contents

all FS except this one is FF+

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The entry table

Indicator

Contents

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Indicator

Contents

The entry table

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Indicator

Contents

The entry table

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Summary tasks

Summary tasks

Overall durationEarliest

start Latest finish

Summary tasks

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Adding a project summary

Tools

Options

Contents

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View tab

Select Project Summary Task

OK

Adding a project summary

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The project summary is task 0

Project Duration

Project Start

Project Finish

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Tools

Options

Changing summaries from days to weeks

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Schedule tab Change “Duration

entered in” from days to weeks

OK

Changing summaries from days to weeks

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All summary durations now in

weeks

Changing summaries from days to weeks

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Description (task name) How long it will take (duration)? Who will do it (resources)? What has to happen before this task can be done

(predecessors)? A picture of the schedule (Gantt diagram) – Nice to have What can’t happen until this task is done (successors)? External date constraints (constraint type and date)? –

Must have at least one! What are the project’s external deliverables (no

successors)? – Must have at least one!

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For each task in the schedule what do you need to see?

MSP out of the box

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Adding the Successors column

Right click the column heading

and Insert Column

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Select Successors from the pull

down

Adding the Successors column

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Added Successors column

To find missing successors click the filter

pull down and

Use a No Successors Filter to identify missing

successors

What can’t happen until this task is done?

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What can’t happen until this task is done?

Only lines with blank

Successor cells appear

but without the rest of the schedule can’t see where to

connect them

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Changing the filter to highlight tasks

By editing

the viewand turning on the Highlight

filter

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One can see the missing Successors in

the context of the whole schedule

Highlighted missing successors

No Successors Filter

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Add the missing

Successors

This missing successor is a

project deliverable

Adding missing successors

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Missing Predecessors

Use the No Predecessors Filter to

identify missing predecessors

What about missing predecessors

Contents

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Inserting constraint type and date columns

Contents

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And running the “Tasks w constraints” filter

Use the Tasks w Constraints Filter to

identify date constraints

with date constraints confirms

they are external dependencies

Missing Predecessors

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Description (task name) How long it will take (duration)? Who will do it (resources)? What has to happen before this task can be done

(predecessors)? A picture of the schedule (Gantt diagram) – Nice to have

Contents

For each task in the schedule what do you need to see?

MSP out of the box plus

What can’t happen until this task is done (successors)? External date constraints (constraint type and date)? –

Must have at least one! What are the project’s external deliverables (no

successors)? – Must have at least one!

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Inserting a column for notes

Indicator

Contents

Add the Notes

field

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Use tools/options to reduce column width req’ts

Reduce duration and date formats

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Now reduce column widths

Then reduce column widths

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Reduced column widths

and eliminate unneeded

column

and eliminate unneeded columns

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The team now has what they need to understand the schedule except.....

What should be under way or done

by 11/18?

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What should be under way or complete by 11/18?

Adding columns to indicate what

should be under way or done by a

status date

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Defining customized fields

Right click on the column

heading Select

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The logic behind the field

Select

Rename the field

Create a formula for

the field

Select the graphic to display for each value

of the formula

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As of Sunday 11/18 status

date

What should be under way or complete by now?

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1 task should be executing, starting 11/1,

finishing 12/12

What should be under way or complete by now?

This project is under way

Total to do count

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Making the Gantt more informative

Project start date line

Status date line

Slack or float

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Saving the baseline plan

Gray bars are the baseline plan

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Customizing the toolbar – menu shortcuts

Views

Tables

Filters

Project Informatio

n Baselining and un

Baselining the plan

Baselining and un

Baselining a task

Task on schedule button

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Customizing the toolbar – macro buttons

Open, link, and unlink the common resource DB

Highlight the predecessor chain to a

task

Prefix the external dependencies and

deliverables

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The team reviews the initial schedule and to do’s and determines changes if any

The PM and PA revise the schedule The team reviews the revised schedule

and determines changes if any When no further changes are required the

project is executing and tracking begins For a large project tracking may begin for

near term activities while the later activities are still under construction.

Planning iterations

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Execution

Contents

Contractual parties must have visibility into what’s happening so

they can agree to the changes

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Execution visibility

The next status date is in 2 weeks, Sunday, 12/2

A view of the to do’s for 12/2 is provided for team to focus on over the next 2 wks

The PM and PA meet for the 12/2 status update

Contents

In the following example the initial plan for status date 11/18 is approved by the team and tracking begins

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1 To Do as of 11/18

Initial Plan table

Contents

Status update for 12/2

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The Status Report table

Status Report table

To do & to do count columns

Reschedule & reschedule count columns

Baseline finish

Finish variance

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Change the Status Date

from 11/18

Contents

Changing the Status date

Project information button

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to 12/2

OK

to 2 weeks later

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3 to do’s are flagged

Red balls indicate the tasks are on the critical

path

Contents

12/2 to do’s

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Status reporting recommendation PM’s are better at estimating when a task will

finish than what % complete it is

Contents

If a “to do” is on schedule for the planned completion date

Tell MS Project its on schedule, MS Project calculates the % complete for it to be on

schedule for this status date, and The to do flag disappears

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the to do flag disappears

Contents

MS Project is told that task 2 is on schedule

MSP calculates the task is 92% complete as of 12/2

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Task 5 now 6 weeks, is going to

9 weeks

Contents

MS Project is told that task 5 needs 3 more wks

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Slippage and the ripple effect

If the task is not on schedule The PM supplies the new duration or completion date Arrows appear in the Reschedule column indicating

the direction finish dates moved The Finish Variance column shows how much the

finish dates moved from Last Finish We accept the new schedule by telling MS Project the

task is on schedule for the new finish date MS Project calculates the % complete for it to be on

schedule for the new date and the to do flag disappears

Contents

PM’s are better at estimating when a task will finish than what % complete it is

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Arrows indicate

which tasks moved from

baseline

Finish Variance

indicates how much each

task moved

Task 17 moved into the future and is no longer a to

do

21 tasks have changed their finish

dates

Contents

Stretching task 5 to 9 weeks and the ripple effect

Vertical arrows are on the critical path Gantt

bars illustrat

e changes from

baseline

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MSP calculates task 5 is 51% complete

The Gantt bar shows progress to the status

date

Project finish date slipped from 3/6 to 3/27, 3 weeks

Contents

MSP is told task 5 is on schedule for new date

The to do ball disappears

to do’s goes to 0

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Switch to the Planning table

Contents

Recovering from slippage – step 1

Changes to critical path (blue) tasks will affect the project end

date

Turn on the Critical Path filter

Objective: Deliverable finish variance back to

0

Reduce task 23 from 2 wks to 1

wk

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Reduce task 23 from 2 wks to 1

wk

Contents

Recovering from slippage – step 2

Deliverable finish variance goes from 3 wks to 2 wks

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TC production, task 6, can be reduced to 1 week

duration

Contents

Rerun the Critical Path filter after each

change

Recovering from slippage – step 3

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Reducing task 6 to 1 week took it off the

critical path

Contents

but didn’t change the deliverable finish

variance

Recovering from slippage – step 4

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Another candidate for reduction is Procurement,

task 21

Contents

PM reduces it from 5 weeks to

3

Recovering from slippage – step 5

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Procurement is now off the critical

path

Contents

Recovering from slippage – step 6

Reduce Samples from 4 weeks to

3

but Samples, task 7, is back on the critical path

and deliverable finish variance is down to 1 week

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Samples is now off the critical path

Contents

but project finish variance is still 1 week

Recovering from slippage – step 7

The PM reduces Issue beverage docs, task 15, from

5 weeks to 4

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Note that almost everything is now back on

the critical path.

Contents

Recovering from slippage – step 8

Deliverable finish variance is back to

0Original

schedule is restored

Reducing, task 15 from 5 weeks to 4

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Switch to the Status table

Status summary – what changed?

Duration change filter

Changes from

baseline

6 duration changes

(blue highlights)

Project duration change

Contents

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Status summary – what changed?

16 finish variences

(blue arrows)

Project 15% completeStatus summary

notes

Remaining project to

do’s

Project finish variance

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Reporting via pdf Project Reports

Status summary for the team For marketing with Gantt diagram For marketing without Gantt diagram For project team with Gantt diagram For project team without Gantt diagram For those who only like pictures Portfolio management summary

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Status summary to team – what changed?

Finish variance & duration change filter

Status as of date

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Basic report for marketing

Contents

DurationWho

Start

Finish

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For marketing

people that don’t like Gantt

charts

Contents

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More detail for project

team

Contents

PredecessorsSuccesso

rsConstrai

nt

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For project teams that don’t like

Gantt charts

Contents

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Milestone Gantt

Contents

For those who only

like pictures

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Portfolio management DB

Contents

Project namecontact date

status update notes

risks

PM

PM’s Mgr

deliverable target date status

code

10/14/08 89Contents

Portfolio management DB

next status update %

completeWks to next updateMtg date for next

updateWk of this status update

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Portfolio management DB

Number of tasks in the schedule

Number of days deliverable movedTo do’s for next

update

Number of rescheduled tasks

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Lessons Learned

Managing the critical path Increasing the duration of a single task on the

critical path will delay the project finish date It may be necessary to reduce the duration of

multiple tasks to improve the project finish date Every change to the schedule may produce a

new critical path. Its possible to take the blinders off MS Project so

that everyone can understand the project schedule

Contents

Even a small project can contain complex relationships

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The case for 3rd Party Scheduling Services

byEd Mahler edmahler@paiwebsite.com

President, Project Administration Institute

Contents

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Two kinds of companies

Contents

Companies that do projects as their primary source of revenue, i.e. construction, engineering, defense, architecture

Companies that sell products and services as their primary source of revenue and only do projects for themselves

If they don’t do project management efficiently they are out of business

Use a scheduling service. PM’s rarely touch the project management tool

If they don’t do project management efficiently they still survive on their products and services

Managers rarely recognize the skills and effort required to build and maintain project schedules

Managers believe they are saving money by not using a scheduling service

Why don’t companies that do projects as their primary source of revenue save money by not using a scheduling service

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What is a scheduling service? Translates the activities that must

be done into a schedule/contract Maintains schedule currency as the

project proceeds Provides reports needed for

coordination

Contents

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Can service all projects or only major initiatives

Can be in house, usually in a PO, or external contractor

What is a scheduling service?

Contents

Performed by a specialist who works with the tool full time and gets really good at it

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• Project manager and Project Administrator skills complement each other.

Aptitudes

Project Manager

Scheduler

Compu

lsive

Doer

Lead

erMot

ivato

rPo

litica

lCo

mmunica

tor Goo

d w

tools

Multita

skin

gOrg

anize

rAdm

inistr

ato

rPlann

erObs

essiv

e

Contents

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In many industries, such as engineering and construction; the development and maintenance of the project schedule is the responsibility of a full time scheduler or team of schedulers, depending on the size of the project.

Wikipedia

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The project management bible

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Kerzner on scheduling

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Benefits of a scheduling service over PM’s doing their own

Daily backups prevent project data lossContents

1)

2)3)

4)5)

6)

7)8)9)

Money saved on Microsoft Project tool training and product licensesNew PM’s are productive soonerPlanning, tracking, and reporting are consistent in format, terminology, and quality across the organization’s projects. PM standards training and policing is eliminated

Administers formal tracking process to ensure plan currency, helps the PM manage changeMaintains a common resource DB ensuring consistent resource naming across projects and enables cross project resource loading analysisProvides portfolio rollup reporting for managementProvides one stop reporting source for interested partiesMaintains the organization’s project history

Reduces the ability of the PM to hide slippage until its too late

10)

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Taking the Blinders off MS Project

byEd Mahler edmahler@paiwebsite.com

President, Project Administration Institute

Taking the Blinders off MS Project

andThe case for 3rd Party Scheduling Services