1 PROJECT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE PROBLEMS
Use Microsoft Project Microsoft Project to to do the following two problems. Submit (e-mail) a Project Project file and a brief Word narrative for each problem. Problem 1 (Project 2010 verso!"# Enter the data below into an MS Project Project file. This is a project for the hpothetical creation of a new credit-card product (and one which illustrates how little ! "now about this business). The !# number does not need to be entered$this is the number of the line in the tas" file in MS Project MS Project % and it is supplied here because the line number is used to indicate predecessor tas"s in the right column. The data to enter are the tas" names% durations% and predecessors& predecessors& enter them b column to see several effects suggested below. below. Use the first of ne't month as the starting date for the project.
!# + 0 1 3 / 7 2 8 : +; ++
ame #uration redecessors ,oncept #evelopment ssessment /.0 w"s ,oncept #esign 1.0 w"s + Telemar"eting lan rep. 2.1 w"s + lastics #esign 0 w"s 0 ,oncept 4alidation% 5ocus 6roups 3.0 w"s 0 lastics roduction 3.8 w"s 3 9perations lanning 1 w"s 1 ,ustomer Service ,ollections Setup 0 w"s 1 9perations Testing 3.0 w"s 2% 8 dvertising romotional lan reparation /.8 w"s /% 7
*esources #eveloper #esigner Mar"eter lanner *esearcher roducer 9perations Service Mgr Tester romoter
a
=hat =hat happ happen enss whe when n ou ou ente enterr >w? >w? for for dur durat atio ion n tim times es@@ Then Then tr tr >d? >d? or >h.? >h.?
b
=hen the name and duration duration data are entered% loo" at the the 6antt chart which is created created in the panel to the right of the data table. =hat happens when the predecessor predecessor column is entered@
c
5ormat th the 6antt ,hart to show the critical path in red (5ormat A clic" Critical Tasks button). Tasks button). Then go to the redecessors column$what happens when ou delete one predecessor at a time@
d
!nsert !nsert a new new tas" tas" named named >Sta >Start? rt? at the the top top of of the the file file (Tas (Tas" " tab tab A Tas" as" butto button) n) of leng length th Bero Bero%% and and ma"e that a predecessor to ,oncept #evelopment ssessment. ssessment. =hat happens@
e
*est *estor oree the the data data to to the the orig origin inal al val value ues% s% and and add add the the res resou ourc rces es in in the the >*es >*esou ourc rces es?? colu column mn of of the the data sheet. =hat can ou ou do to shorten shorten the completion completion time@ (CintD right-clic" right-clic" on a tas" tas" name% select >Tas" >Tas" !nformation%? then select the *esources tab. ou will see the resource name with +;;F applied$double this and observe the effect.)
f
la la aro aroun und$ d$in inse sert rt one one or or more more new new tas tas"s "s und under er one one of of the the e'is e'isti ting ng tas tas"s "s (ju (just st ma" ma"ee some someth thin ing g up) and observe the effect. ,hange the level of indenture of several tas"s and note what happens. happens. Move a tas" to a new location b selecting its line and then dragging and dropping to a new place in the file. Use online help liberall$it liberall$it is an e'cellent e'cellent resource.
This problem gives ou the basic s"ills needed to create a basic MS Project Project 2010 file% 2010 file% identif the critical path% and ma"e adjustments to control the progress progress of wor" toward a desired completion completion date. Problem 1 ($erso! %or Project 200& '! e'rler) '! OPe!Proj"# Enter the data below into an MS Project file. This is a project for the hpothetical creation creation of a new credit-card product (and one which illustrates how little little ! "now about this business). The !# number does not need to be entered$this is the number of the line in the tas" file in MS Project Project % and it is supplied here because the line number is used to indicate predecessor tas"s in the right right column. The data to enter are the tas" names% durations% and
predecessors& enter them b column to see several effects suggested below. Use the first of ne't month as the starting date for the project. !# + 0 1 3 / 7 2 8 : +; ++
ame #uration ,oncept #evelopment ssessment /.0 w"s ,oncept #esign 1.0 w"s Telemar"eting lan rep. 2.1 w"s lastics #esign 0 w"s ,oncept 4alidation% 5ocus 6roups 3.0 w"s lastics roduction 3.8 w"s 9perations lanning 1 w"s ,ustomer Service ,ollections Setup 0 w"s 9perations Testing 3.0 w"s dvertising romotional lan reparation /.8 w"s
redecessors *esources #eveloper + #esigner + Mar"eter 0 lanner 0 *esearcher 3 roducer 1 9perations 1 Service Mgr 2%8 Tester /%7 romoter :%+;
a
=hat happens when ou enter >w? for duration times@ Then tr >d? or >h.?
b
=hen the name and duration data are entered% loo" at the 6antt chart which is created in the panel to the right of the data table. =hat happens when the predecessor column is entered@
c
5ormat the 6antt ,hart to show the critical path in red (5ormat A 6antt ,hart =iBard A ,ritical ath% ta"e all defaults). Then go to the redecessors column$what happens when ou delete one predecessor at a time@
d
!nsert a new tas" named >Start? at the top of the file (!nsert A ew Tas") of length Bero% and ma"e that a predecessor to ,oncept #evelopment ssessment. =hat happens@
e
*estore the data to the original values% and add the resources in the >*esources? column of the data sheet. =hat can ou do to shorten the completion time@ (CintD right-clic" on a tas" name% select >Tas" !nformation%? then select the *esources tab. ou will see the resource name with +;;F applied$double this and observe the effect.)
f
la around$insert one or more new tas"s under one of the e'isting tas"s (just ma"e something up) and observe the effect. ,hange the level of indenture of several tas"s and note what happens. Move a tas" to a new location b selecting its line and then dragging and dropping to a new place in the file. Use online help liberall$it is an e'cellent resource.
This problem gives ou the basic s"ills needed to create a basic MS Project 2007 file (this and earlier versions are still widel used in industr)% identif the critical path% and ma"e adjustments to control the progress of wor" toward a desired completion date.
Problem 2 (Project 2010 verso!"# Urinegood ,ompan planned to completel upgrade its operating !T sstem. The following table shows the major steps in this project. Use this information to do parts (a) through (f) below% and submit the final MS Project file and a brief written response to the Guestions below.
Tas"
Times (wee"s) 9ptimistic Most li"el
essimistic redecessor(s)
+. ssess current users 0. repare transition plan 1. pprove plan (goHnogo) 3. ,ode new sstem /. #esign new sstem config. 7. Test and debug 2. Ieta user test 8. !nstall new hardware 0 :. arallel sstem operation +;. 4alidate new sstem ++.
8 / ; +1 +; ++ +3
+; 7 ; +/ +0 0; +/ 1
3 0 ;
+1 8 ; 0+ +3 1; +8 3
7 1 ;
$ + 0 1 +% 1 3 / 7
+; 3 ;
2% 8 : +;
a.
Ma"e an MS Project file using the information above as followsD Use Excel to enter the data above into columns % I% and ,. !n column #% enter the formula J((line J 3KIline J ,line)H7). Then cop the calculated results in column # into the #uration column of Project . 6ive the project a start date of 9ctober +% 0;;7% b clic"ing the >roject? tab% selecting the >roject !nformation? button% and entering the project start date. e't% enter the predecessors$what is the effect of the Bero durations@ (CintD these are called milestones, and let ou mar" critical points in the project without affecting the time reGuired to do the wor".)
b.
*ight-clic" the timeline at the top of the 6antt chart panel% select Loom% and clic" Entire roject. 5ormat the 6antt chart to show the critical path (called critical tas"s in MS 0;+;). =hen is the project to be completed@
c.
Using the tas" information dialog bo'% e'amine the information for tas" 0. =hen is it scheduled to begin and end@
d.
Enter an actual start date for tas" 0 that is four (3) wee"s later than the one computed. =hen does tas" 0 end with this dela@ =hat effect does this have on the completion of the project@
e.
E'periment with assignment of resources% addition of milestones% and other items of interest.
This is a ver simple version of a 6antt chart% but shows how to use a few tools to allow for different estimates of tas" durations to be used to compute a single weighted time estimate for completion of each tas". s a planning tool% this is Guite valuable. 9nce completed% this file can be saved as a baseline plan against which progress can be measured with respect to time% amount of wor"% and project cost.
Problem 2 ($erso! %or Project 200& '! e'rler) '! O*e!Proj"# Urinegood ,ompan planned to completel upgrade its operating !T sstem. The following table shows the major steps in this project. Use this information to do parts (a) through (f) below% and submit the final MS Project file and a brief written response to the Guestions below.
Tas" +. ssess current users 0. repare transition plan 1. pprove plan (goHnogo) 3. ,ode new sstem /. #esign new sstem config. 7. Test and debug 2. Ieta user test 8. !nstall new hardware 0 :. arallel sstem operation +;. 4alidate new sstem ++.
Times (wee"s) 9ptimistic Most li"el 8 / ; +1 +; ++ +3
+; 7 ; +/ +0 0; +/ 1
3 0 ;
essimistic redecessor(s) +1 8 ; 0+ +3 1; +8 3
7 1 ;
$ + 0 1 +% 1 3 / 7
+; 3 ;
2% 8 : +;
a.
Ma"e an MS roject file using the information above as followsD Select 4iew A More 4iews A TableD E*T Entr% enter the data into each row% and clic" the ,alculate E*T button. Then select 4iew A 6antt ,hart% and observe the calculated times in the #uration column. 6ive the project a start date of 9ctober +% 0;;7. e't% enter the predecessors$what is the effect of the Bero durations@ (CintD these are called milestones% and let ou mar" critical points in the project without affecting the time reGuired to do the wor".)
b.
*ight-clic" the timeline at the top of the 6antt panel% select Loom% and clic" Entire roject. 5ormat the 6antt chart to show the critical path. =hen is the project to be completed@
c.
Using the tas" information dialog bo'% e'amine the information for tas" 0. =hen is it scheduled to begin and end@
d.
Enter an actual start date for tas" 0 that is four (3) wee"s later than the one computed. =hen does tas" 0 end with this dela@ =hat effect does this have on the completion of the project@
e.
E'periment with assignment of resources% addition of milestones% and other items of interest.
This is a ver simple version of a 6antt chart% but shows how to use a few tools to allow for different estimates of tas" durations to be used to compute a single weighted time estimate for completion of each tas". s a planning tool% this is Guite valuable. 9nce completed% this file can be saved as a baseline plan against which progress can be measured with respect to time% amount of wor"% and project cost.
