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

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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
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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
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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
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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,
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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

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 MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Charts and Diagrams

 Based on configuration and data entered

by the user, MS Project plots Gantt Charts

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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

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MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Charts and Diagrams

• Based on configuration and data entered by

the user, MS Project plots Network Diagrams

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MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Charts and Diagrams

• Based on configuration and data entered by

the user, MS Project plots Resource Graphs

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MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Tables and Reports

• Based on configuration and data entered by

the user, MS Project plots Tabular Data

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MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Tables and Reports

• Based on configuration and data entered by

the user, MS Project plots Tabular Tracking Data

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MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Tables and Reports

• Based on configuration and data entered by

the user, MS Project plots High Level Reports…

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MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Tables and Reports

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

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MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Tables and Reports

• …lists of tasks that should have started but

have not…

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MS Project Strengths
Sample MS Project Tables and Reports

• …lists of tasks that are scheduled to begin

soon…

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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)…

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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
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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

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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

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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
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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

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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

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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
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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
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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

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

CE 202: Civil Engineering Systems II