Workshop on Using Microsoft Project: (Project Management Software Training for Managers)

Program Overview:

This Microsoft project software practical training will equip participants with skills on how to manage everyday projects. The workshop is ideal for those with or without experience in project management. They will be led through practical hands on exercises that illustrate the project management software features. These include: setting up a project, scheduling and assigning tasks, allocating costs and resources, and tracking project progress.

For Whom:

This program is designed for new managers and project managers, managers handling unique projects, senior executives with business planning responsibilities and systems, manufacturing and operational personnel will benefit from this course.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• set a project using the system;
• use Microsoft project menu and toolbars;
• establish project schedule and work breakdown structure;
• track project progress on your system and measure project result; and
• close out projects using Microsoft project software.

Course Outline:

Day 1: Exploring the Microsoft project environment

• Starting Microsoft Project
• The project screen
  • Project Life Cycle toolbars
  • Entry bar
  • View bar
• The project guide toolbar, Side pane/Smart Tags
• Opening a project file
• The Gantt chart view
  • Understanding the table and chart symbols
  • Adjusting column width
  • Navigating the table & time scale
  • Closing the project file

       Setting Up a New Project

• Defining a project calendar
  • Entering project information & statistics
• Alternate columns in the task bar
• Establishing calendar options
  • Defining a day, a week, and a month
• Saving and protecting project files

Day 2: Developing Work Breakdown Structure

• Work breakdown structure terminology
  • Phase, Task, Deliverables, & Milestones
• Alternative Work breakdown structure
  • Tree and table format
• Collapsing, Expanding, & Editing the task list

      Establishing the Project Schedule

• Understanding dependency relationships
  • Finish to start (FS), Start to Start (SS)
  • Finish to Finish(FF), Start to Finish(SF)
  • Using lag and lead indications
• Creating task dependencies
  • Link lines, the task information dialog box

Day 3: Fine Tuning the Schedule

• Understanding the critical path
  • Filter for critical tasks
  • Identifying free slack and total slack
• Understanding types of constraints
  • Flexible, semi-flexible and inflexible
• Resolving scheduling conflicts
• Troubleshooting accidental constraints

Understanding Resources and Costs

• Defining resources types
  • Material, single and grouped resources
• Defining costs
• Creating a resource list (People & Equipment)
  • Understanding resource fields availability
• Sorting, filtering and grouping resources

Day 4: Tracking Progress

• The tracking toolbar
• Using the variance table
• Setting baseline for the entire project or selected tasks
• Updating project tasks
  • Entering actual / remaining duration

Viewing the Project Schedule

• Working with the Gantt chart
  • Adding text and graphics
  • Working with the network diagram view
  • Working with the calendar view
  • Working with time phase view
  • Task usage, Resource usage

Day 5: Working with Reports

• Viewing and modifying report content / The Gantt chart
• Modifying report content / The Gantt chart
• Viewing project costs
• Publishing projects

Training Methodology

Lectures, discussions, exercises, and case studies will be used to reinforce these teaching/learning methods.