Now an Online Lecture Series! 5.5 PDUs
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Learning to Use MS-Project 2003
Course Description
This one-day course will provide students with a comprehensive overview of the most commonly used functionalities in MS-Project 2003 for planning, executing and controlling projects. This course is aligned with PMBOK® processes, including initiation, planning, executing, controlling and closing processes and emphasizes the proper use of MS-Project to support these processes. Participants will learn how to translate deliverable-oriented planning inputs, such as a WBS, into a schedule, create network diagrams, and assign and balance resources and ultimately create a baseline schedule.
This course includes a review of MS-Project’s user interface including working with the most popular users views. Students will learn how to set defaults for project schedules and tasks to accurately track desired metrics in their projects. Students will also learn how to update a project schedule and create reports to identify schedule and cost variances.
By taking this course, students will increase their ability to access MS Project’s software capabilities by participating in class demonstrations and hands-on exercises. Students will also get experience using this popular software package, as well as expert instruction, advice and assistance from an experienced project manager. Students will return to work with basic MS-Project skills to plan, execute and control a project.
The course includes:
- Presentations
- Hands-on use of MS-Project
- Case Studies
- Skills Practice
Student Prerequisites
This is an excellent MS-Project starter course for the students who are familiar with the PMBOK® and basic project management knowledge, and have the ability to create basic project planning inputs and the need to use a planning and scheduling tool to manage projects.
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Objectives
- Learn how to input key planning outputs into MS-Project and create a meaningful project plan
- Master the techniques of MS-Project’s user interface
- Learn how to set up MS-Project defaults, including calendar, task type and constraints
- Learn how to convert a WBS to a project schedule
- Learn how to input and assign resources
- Learn how to establish predecessor and successor relationships among tasks
- Learn to create a resource histogram for all resources on the project
- Learn to create a network diagram for the project
- Learn to update start and finish dates and percent complete for all project tasks
- Learn to create and report variances based off the project baseline
- Master the concepts of creating a meaningful critical path for the project
- Learn to immediately assess the impact of changes in project variables on project schedule dates
- Learn how to use help features
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Outline
Overview of Project Management
- Project Managers’ basic functions
- Customer needs
- Project Phases
Project Plan Development
- What are the outputs of Project Plan Development needed for a project schedule?
- Customer need
- Scope and WBS
- Milestones, constraints, deadlines
- Resource plan
- Key decisions
- Related projects
- Risks
- Communications
Review of the MS-Project 2003 user interface
- How to use toolbars
- Common tools
- How to use different views
- Common views
- Entering tasks
- Entering resources
- Entering dependencies
Entering data into MS-Project 2003 - Case study – Creating a project schedule
- Deliverables vs. tasks
- WBS structure
- Resource Planning
- Create a Resource Plan
- Entering project resources into MS-Project
- Tracking costs of project, both fixed and variable
- Resource option in MS-Project
- Concepts of load balancing
- Using load balancing
- Integrating MS-Project with other resource project plans
- Activity Definition
- Basic functions of MS-Project that a project manager needs to use
- Entering tasks into MS-Project
- Activity Sequencing
- Precedence Diagramming Method
- Creating a Project Network Diagram
- Sequencing project tasks
- Importance of critical path
- Monitoring critical path
- Identifying milestones
- Entering milestones in MS-Project
- Baselining a project and tasks
- Entering actuals
- Key reports out of MS-Project
- Calculating variances, schedule and cost
Putting it All Together: Basic Steps Building Your Own Schedule
- Step 1: Input Project Resources
- Step 2: Calendar
- Step 3: MS-Project Defaults
- Step 4: Enter WBS Detail
- Step 5: Enter Predecessor Relationships
- Step 6: Duration Estimates
- Step 7: Sequence Activities
- Step 8: Apply Resources
- Step 9: Level Resources
- Step 10: Review Critical Path
- Step 11: Baseline
- Step 12: Tracking Actual Start and Finish Dates
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Contact Hours
Students will receive:
8 PDUs
.8 CEUs
Certificate of completion
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Who Should Attend
This course is excellent for project managers new to MS-Project. Students should understand basic PMBOK® processes and knowledge areas and the basic project plan deliverables required to create a valid schedule.
- Project managers
- New project managers seeking certification, including the CAPM®
- Procurement managers
- Contract managers
- Business analysts
- Project team members
- Organizational change agents
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Evaluation Comments
- “I like the focus on the importance of having well-defined input deliverables before you begin creating a schedule.” – John P., class participant
- “Lots of hands-on time with the application, instructor was very patient with those of us who are technologically challenged :}.” – Susan, class participant
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“PMI is a registered trademark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.”
“PMP is a registered trademark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.”
“PMBOK is a registered trademark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.”
“CAPM is a registered trademark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.”
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