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02 Project Planning - Unit 1

The document provides an overview of using MS Project for civil engineering project planning. It discusses the assumptions and basis of MS Project in using the PERT and CPM techniques. The strengths of MS Project include its ability to automatically perform calculations and generate various charts, graphs, and reports to aid project management. However, it lacks risk assessment capabilities and could enable a project to go over budget without warnings. Careful monitoring is needed when using the tool.

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Israel
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78 views27 pages

02 Project Planning - Unit 1

The document provides an overview of using MS Project for civil engineering project planning. It discusses the assumptions and basis of MS Project in using the PERT and CPM techniques. The strengths of MS Project include its ability to automatically perform calculations and generate various charts, graphs, and reports to aid project management. However, it lacks risk assessment capabilities and could enable a project to go over budget without warnings. Careful monitoring is needed when using the tool.

Uploaded by

Israel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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THE PAPUA NEW GUINEA

UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
UNIT 1: PROJECT
CE 202 – CIVIL PLANNING USING
ENGINEERING SYSTEMS II
MS PROJECT
Introduction & Background

Prepared by:
Ms. Grace Wantepe
CE 202 Lecturer

Week 4 L4, Sem 2, 2019


2

Lecture Outline Preview


 This lecture will provide:
 Introduction to the background of MS
Project
 Introduction to the Advantages of using MS
Project
 Introduction to the Hazards of using MS
Project
 Tips for using MS Project
 Background material for project planning
 Thislecture is prepared as the first of
three blocks in a building block
approach
CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II
3

MS Project Assumptions
 The first assumption of any project
planning is that the project goal and tasks
are defined
 MS Project uses the same assumptions as
planning a project manually:
 All tasks have distinct begin and end points
 All estimates can be mathematically derived
 Tasks must be able to be arranged in a defined
sequence that produces a pre-defined result
 Likeany tool, MS Project cannot define
the goal of a project, the user must do
that
CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II
4

The Basis of MS Project


 MSProject is a strong tool that is built around
the PERT and CPM basics
 (See PERT/CPM blocks of instruction to review the
basics if these terms are unfamiliar)
 Based on same basic PERT calculations
invented in 1958
 Based on same basic CPM calculations
invented in 1958
 Incorporates use of a WBS (Task list) format
invented in the 1960s
CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II
5

The Basis of MS Project


A highly visual, yet checklist-intensive
program
 Balances visual approach (charts, graphs,
etc) with logical structured approach (task
and resources lists)
 The
most widely used PM program
because:
 It is fairly generic in its approach
 Highly automated once configured;
requires relatively low amount of user
manipulation
 Scalable – can be used for small to
enormous projects
 A cost-effective choice for casual users
 Easy to use core techniques
 Advanced techniques are complex,
however CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II
6

MS Project Strengths
 Good step-by-step tutorial for beginners
 Good searchable keyword help function
 Based on data entry – once configured, user enters
data and Project automatically:
 Computes all times and costs
 Optimistic, Pessimistic, Likely and PERT- expected
 Identifies Critical Path, computes late & early start dates,
slack
 Computes % complete on a task and project level
 Identifies areas of over-tasking of resources
 Draws a wide ranges of charts and graphs specific to the
project
 Creates a wide range of reports specific to the project
 VERY customizable to meet individual user needs

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II


MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Charts and Diagrams

 Based on configuration and data entered


by the user, MS Project plots Gantt Charts

7
CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II
MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Charts and Diagrams

• Based on configuration and data entered by


the user, MS Project plots Task Calendars

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II 8


9

MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Charts and Diagrams

• Based on configuration and data entered by


the user, MS Project plots Network Diagrams

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II


10

MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Charts and Diagrams

• Based on configuration and data entered by


the user, MS Project plots Resource Graphs

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II


11

MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Tables and Reports

• Based on configuration and data entered by


the user, MS Project plots Tabular Data

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II


12

MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Tables and Reports

• Based on configuration and data entered by


the user, MS Project plots Tabular Tracking Data

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II


13

MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Tables and Reports

• Based on configuration and data entered by


the user, MS Project plots High Level Reports…

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II


14

MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Tables and Reports

• …to-do lists on a person by person basis…

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II


15

MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Tables and Reports

• …lists of tasks that should have started but


have not…

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II


16

MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Tables and Reports

• …lists of tasks that are scheduled to begin


soon…

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II


17

MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Tables and Reports

• …lists of critical tasks (makes it easy to identify


tasks that become critical once a project is
crashed)…

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II


18

MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Tables and Reports

• and much, much more


• All charts, diagrams, and reports are designed
to help a manager organize and track a project
• All come in a standard configuration
• Most typically used information
• Easiest to read format
• All are also customizable to show the most
meaningful data
CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II
19

MS Project Strengths
 Flexible
and customizable
 Designed to enhance communication
 Between manager and workers
 Between managers and stakeholder
 A good tool to manage expectations
 Charts,diagrams, tables etc can be
saved in various formats for use:
 On the web, in print, electronically

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II


20

MS Project Weaknesses
 Makes it easy to lose touch with the
project – very automated
 Automates all calculations
 Scheduled dates, costs projected dates, etc
 Tracks when a resource is over-allocated but
does not provide a warning when it happens
 Conflicts are not intuitively displayed
 Will “let” a project get over budget/over-
time
 A tool that must be monitored when used

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II


21

MS Project Weaknesses
 No Risk Assessment Function
 Does not calculate probability of completion
 A Key weakness – this info is always requested
 A Manager must compute this manually/with Excel
 Crashing costs/times are not calculated
 Must be computed on a task basis and then compared to
the baseline (or done manually)
 Assumes manual intervention by Project Manager
 Crash the project manually and save as a new baseline
 Project is heavily influenced by the Earned
Value method (EVM)– typical Risk Assessment
is not a factor in EVM
CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II
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MS Project Benefits
Review

 Much less work for a user compared to


manual/MS Excel project planning
 Does most of the required calculations
 Wide range of graphs, charts, reports
 Very customizable, very flexible
 Makes communicating project status
easier – expectation management

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II


23

MS Project Hazards
Review

 Very Automated – easy to lose touch


 No Risk Assessment function
 Must be done in MS Excel/manually
 Based on PERT/CPM but also influenced by
EVM
 Weighs by project/task costs, not just completion
 Does not consider intangible progress that is
common in Social Sciences projects
 Knowledge as part of the process, not just the result
 Progress as part of the process not just task completion

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II


24

Tips for Using MS Project


 Know the project goal before beginning
 Know the required tasks before beginning
 Identify resources before beginning
 Identify task relationships before beginning
 Refer to the tutorial as often as needed
 Refer to help section as often as needed
 Keep the configuration as simple as possible
 Avoid losing touch with the project
CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II
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MS Project
Final Thoughts

• MS Project is only a tool –it does not create or


“own” the project – it reflects the data provided
• The simpler the configuration, the easier the data
will be to understand, for all involved
• If the plan doesn’t look right, it probably isn’t
– Check resource and task assignments/relationships
– Check constraints and dependencies
– Look for what has changed in a plan and follow the
clues - a small unintentional change can wreak havoc
CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II
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Resources Used in This Unit


 Dr.Anthony Filipovitch
 MS Project, by Microsoft  Project
Corporation Management
 MS Excel, by Microsoft Institute (PMI)
Corporation Resource Center
 PM Body of Knowledge  Project
(PMBOK), Philadelphia: Management
Institute Website
PMI, 2000

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II


27

Any Question?
You have completed
MS Project Unit 1
Please proceed to
MS Project Unit 2

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II

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