Project makes life easier
Written: Jan 21 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy to use, keeps track of resources and cost in addition to schedule
Cons: Lacks integration into ERP software.
The Bottom Line: Good price, and makes the administration of projects easier. A must have for anyone involved in Project Management.
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| stevelarrison's Full Review: Microsoft Project 2000 (Media Only) for PC (076-01... |
Project Management involves the art of getting others to accomplish your goals. Obviously, a large part of Project Management is based upon interpersonal skills. No software can aide a Project Manager in these areas. However, any Project Manager needs to do keep on top of various administrative tasks. Failure to do so will result in failure even for the best motivators. Microsoft Project can help a project manager create schedules, assign resources to various taks, track performance of his team, and track actual costs against the budget. In short, it is helps make the administrative side of the Project Manager's job much easier.
Installation
This is a typical Microsoft package. In other words, based around install wizards, installation is very simple. Just run the setup.exe program, choose an install drive and directory, and the software does the rest.
Using Microsoft Project
Though there are a variety of different project schedule types available, I think that use of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) spreadsheet in the Gannt Chart is the most intuitive. (For those of you who may not be familiar with a Gannt Chart, see http://www.lasa.org.uk/knowledgebase/pages/gannt.jpg for an example ) A WBS is composed of various major tasks called Milestones, and all the minor tasks that make up a major tasks.
The default columns that you enter information on each subtask that include task name, expected duration, start date, predecessors, and resource name. There are additional columns that can be added related to things like cost, variance, and usage.
A common concept in project scheduling are dependancies. Essentially, dependancies are used to specify that one task can't be started before a task it is dependant upon has been completed. For example, if you are building a house, you can't put dry wall up until you have completed framing. You can paint apply texture to a wall until you have hung dry wall. And you can't paint until you apply texture. Therefore, Hanging drywall is dependant upon finishing framing. You can't apply texture until you have hung drywall. And you can't paint until you have applied texture to the walls.
Microsoft Project includes a tool so you can link these dependancies to each other. It recognizes that if one step in a dependancy chain is delated, it affects all other steps. Therefore, if it takes you a day longer to finish framing, the schedule will automatically bump the start dates of hanging drywall, applying texture, and painting by one day.
In addition to identifying steps in a project, you can also assign resources to the steps. Tools within Microsoft Project will allow you to check to see if you are over-allocating your resources. In other words, the Project Manager can see if he has overloaded any resources. (The software assumes an 8 hour, 5 day work schedule, but can be customized for individual resources) Although the software can notify Project Managers of overallocated resources, Scott Adams wouldn't be so popular if people didn't recognize their own bosses in Dilbert. Microsoft Project will allow you to publish a schedule based on over-allocated resources.
After the project plan has been created, Project will allow you to enter actual times for completion for all the tasks that make up a project. It has charting facilities that will enable you to compare estimated times to actuals. On a side note, though human nature makes people want to adjust details so the project plan will show that they were on schedule, you can't improve a process that you can't track. It is advantageous for the successful Project Manager to track his own ability to forecast time to completion. The experience gained can be beneficial on future projects.
In addition to Gannt Charts, PERT is also available. Use of Gannt or PERT charts are highly personal choices. Personally, I like Gannt Charts better. Because I never use PERT, I won't comment on the functionality of the Data Entry system. However, looking at the software as I write this review, it does appear relatively easy to use. Of course, using PERT, you also have to specify if tasks lie on the critical path.
Reports
Reports are available to track resource allocation and tracking charts to see actual versus estimated time and resource usage. Also, reports that show Current Activities, Costs, Personnel Assignments, and Work Load are available. I find the estimates versus actuals, and cost reports to be the most useful. (I believe in MBWA (Management By Walking Around) to know what is happening with current activities and workloads.
Conclusion
The software is very easy to use, and is useful for any project manager. I was shocked to see the prices at the bottom of this review. At $25, this is a bargain.
While the software is useful, it does have some shortcomings. The biggest is probably related to the standalone nature of the Project database. While there are tools that prevent resource overallocation on any given project, projects stand alone. It is very possible to overload resources by involving them in separate projects. Also, it would be nice if the software was integrated to ERP systems. But for $25, it is a very good value.
Recommended:
Yes
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stevelarrison
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Member: Steve Larrison
Location: Scottsdale, Az. USA
Reviews written: 171
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Beer, the answer to, and the cause of all life's problems.
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