Introduction to
Project Management
ECE 480
Erik Goodman
What is Project Management?
• a method for organizing tasks
• a structured framework to help a group
work productively
• tools to aid in task sequencing,
dependency analysis, resource
allocation, scheduling, etc.
• tools to track progress relative to plan
Why Need Project Management?
• Complex project needs coordination of:
• Multiple people
• Multiple resources (labs, equipment, etc.)
• Multiple tasks – some must precede others
• Multiple decision points – approvals
• Phased expenditure of funds
• Matching of people/resources to tasks
Task Dependencies and the
Critical Path
• Sometimes task B cannot be started before
task A is completed
• Other types of constraints – calendar, lags,
etc.
• Critical path – any slippage slips whole
project
• Helpful to know what tasks are on the critical
path
• Useful to try to shorten the critical path
Suggested Steps in
Project Management
• Generate a formal definition of the project, with
goals, constraints, assumptions
• Identify project start/end dates, any mandatory
milestones, including reports, signoffs,
deliverables, etc.
• List constraints – money, equipment availability,
holidays, etc.
• Identify tasks to be accomplished – high level
(i.e., by categories), then details within each,
using brainstorming method – green light
Suggested Steps, cont.
• Refine detailed task list, dropping/
combining, adding things omitted
Then, for each task in list:
• Estimate time (person hours, calendar
period)
• Identify dependencies among tasks
• Identify resources (people, money, parts,
etc.)
Suggested Steps, cont.
Organize task groups roughly by starting date
List dependencies that should or MUST hold
Use MS Project to make a GANTT chart
• First capture tasks and task groups, milestones
• Identify critical path, see if it can be shortened
(get more “slack”)
• Assign person-hours and specific team
member(s) to each task – identify “task leads”
Suggested Steps, cont.
As project progresses:
• Monitor, record progress on all tasks, at
least weekly – use “Tracking Gantt Chart”
• Pay particular attention to those on critical
path
• Revise plan as needed to take into account
changes, adapt to meet milestones
Project Management Using
Microsoft Project
• Allows many different ways of entering and
observing information
• includes many features to help identify
problems with a plan
• regular use can help a group refine plans
to make meeting targets more realistic
Our “Flyover” of Project 98
• Adding tasks, durations
• Setting dependencies
• Seeing critical path, etc.
• “Rolling up” subtasks
• Assigning resources
• Adjusting durations, time assignments, etc.
Our “Flyover” of Project 98
• Adding tasks, durations
• Setting dependencies
• Seeing critical path, etc.
• “Rolling up” subtasks
• Assigning resources
• Adjusting durations, time assignments, etc.
Our “Flyover” of Project 98
• Adding tasks, durations
• Setting dependencies
• Seeing critical path, etc.
• “Rolling up” subtasks
• Assigning resources
• Adjusting durations, time assignments, etc.
WATCH YOUR DEPENDENCY
CHOICES!!!
 If you choose something other than the “default”
finish/start constraints, you will probably LOSE
your ability to track the critical path
 So AVOID “finish by” or “start by” with particular
calendar dates, or other types of constraints.
 Break tasks apart as needed, in order to make
finish/start constraints realistic!
Our “Flyover” of Project 98
• Adding tasks, durations
• Setting dependencies
• Seeing critical path, etc.
• “Rolling up” subtasks
• Assigning resources
• Adjusting durations, time assignments, etc.
Our “Flyover” of Project 98
• Adding tasks, durations
• Setting dependencies
• Seeing critical path, etc.
• “Rolling up” subtasks
• Assigning resources
• Adjusting durations, time assignments, etc.
Our “Flyover” of Project 98
• Adding tasks, durations
• Setting dependencies
• Seeing critical path, etc.
• “Rolling up” subtasks
• Assigning resources
• Adjusting durations, time assignments, etc.
YOUR MS Project has a “Deadline” box
on this page! Use it to let you get warned
when something gets pushed back too far,
but STILL not assigning a “start no earlier
than” or “finish no later than” constraint to
it – still using “As soon as possible.”
Management of YOUR Project
With your team members
• Create a plan for the entire project
• Set milestones for tracking progress
• Provide more detail for near-term tasks
• Use with your facilitator to report progress and
revise/add detail to plan
• Assign specific tasks to team members
• Revise plan and activities as required to achieve
objectives

projmgtlectureohs.ppt

  • 1.
  • 2.
    What is ProjectManagement? • a method for organizing tasks • a structured framework to help a group work productively • tools to aid in task sequencing, dependency analysis, resource allocation, scheduling, etc. • tools to track progress relative to plan
  • 3.
    Why Need ProjectManagement? • Complex project needs coordination of: • Multiple people • Multiple resources (labs, equipment, etc.) • Multiple tasks – some must precede others • Multiple decision points – approvals • Phased expenditure of funds • Matching of people/resources to tasks
  • 4.
    Task Dependencies andthe Critical Path • Sometimes task B cannot be started before task A is completed • Other types of constraints – calendar, lags, etc. • Critical path – any slippage slips whole project • Helpful to know what tasks are on the critical path • Useful to try to shorten the critical path
  • 5.
    Suggested Steps in ProjectManagement • Generate a formal definition of the project, with goals, constraints, assumptions • Identify project start/end dates, any mandatory milestones, including reports, signoffs, deliverables, etc. • List constraints – money, equipment availability, holidays, etc. • Identify tasks to be accomplished – high level (i.e., by categories), then details within each, using brainstorming method – green light
  • 6.
    Suggested Steps, cont. •Refine detailed task list, dropping/ combining, adding things omitted Then, for each task in list: • Estimate time (person hours, calendar period) • Identify dependencies among tasks • Identify resources (people, money, parts, etc.)
  • 7.
    Suggested Steps, cont. Organizetask groups roughly by starting date List dependencies that should or MUST hold Use MS Project to make a GANTT chart • First capture tasks and task groups, milestones • Identify critical path, see if it can be shortened (get more “slack”) • Assign person-hours and specific team member(s) to each task – identify “task leads”
  • 8.
    Suggested Steps, cont. Asproject progresses: • Monitor, record progress on all tasks, at least weekly – use “Tracking Gantt Chart” • Pay particular attention to those on critical path • Revise plan as needed to take into account changes, adapt to meet milestones
  • 9.
    Project Management Using MicrosoftProject • Allows many different ways of entering and observing information • includes many features to help identify problems with a plan • regular use can help a group refine plans to make meeting targets more realistic
  • 10.
    Our “Flyover” ofProject 98 • Adding tasks, durations • Setting dependencies • Seeing critical path, etc. • “Rolling up” subtasks • Assigning resources • Adjusting durations, time assignments, etc.
  • 14.
    Our “Flyover” ofProject 98 • Adding tasks, durations • Setting dependencies • Seeing critical path, etc. • “Rolling up” subtasks • Assigning resources • Adjusting durations, time assignments, etc.
  • 18.
    Our “Flyover” ofProject 98 • Adding tasks, durations • Setting dependencies • Seeing critical path, etc. • “Rolling up” subtasks • Assigning resources • Adjusting durations, time assignments, etc.
  • 23.
    WATCH YOUR DEPENDENCY CHOICES!!! If you choose something other than the “default” finish/start constraints, you will probably LOSE your ability to track the critical path  So AVOID “finish by” or “start by” with particular calendar dates, or other types of constraints.  Break tasks apart as needed, in order to make finish/start constraints realistic!
  • 24.
    Our “Flyover” ofProject 98 • Adding tasks, durations • Setting dependencies • Seeing critical path, etc. • “Rolling up” subtasks • Assigning resources • Adjusting durations, time assignments, etc.
  • 38.
    Our “Flyover” ofProject 98 • Adding tasks, durations • Setting dependencies • Seeing critical path, etc. • “Rolling up” subtasks • Assigning resources • Adjusting durations, time assignments, etc.
  • 50.
    Our “Flyover” ofProject 98 • Adding tasks, durations • Setting dependencies • Seeing critical path, etc. • “Rolling up” subtasks • Assigning resources • Adjusting durations, time assignments, etc.
  • 56.
    YOUR MS Projecthas a “Deadline” box on this page! Use it to let you get warned when something gets pushed back too far, but STILL not assigning a “start no earlier than” or “finish no later than” constraint to it – still using “As soon as possible.”
  • 61.
    Management of YOURProject With your team members • Create a plan for the entire project • Set milestones for tracking progress • Provide more detail for near-term tasks • Use with your facilitator to report progress and revise/add detail to plan • Assign specific tasks to team members • Revise plan and activities as required to achieve objectives