The Magic Wand for MS Project

J. Scott Burd

Personal Guarantee

The following technique is not shown anywhere nor is taught in any Project Management Software class
This technique will give you the right numbers. It will increase your credibility and reputation as a Project Manager.
You will become an expert in the use of MS Project.
You will not need to attend any classes in MS Project, no matter what their claim. None of the following techniques will be taught there.

If you are not totally satisfied with the results and you have attended one of my personal demonstrations and you have contacted me, your money will be fully refunded.

Introduction

Project Management software has been the bane of PM's for a number of years. Most software is purchased with little knowledge of Project Management concepts and the software is presumed to be a panacea. Software should be our tool and not we the servant of the tool.

Roughly 80% of the Project Managers use MS Project. Most complain that the software does not work. It is not the fault of software. Training classes only teach how to use the software and not how to do Project Management.

The enclosed technique uses MS Project 2000. Explorations into other applications (Primavera, Project Scheduler 7, and ABT Workbench) have proved that the same technique works. Although the ensuing discussion is not a full PM course, you will learn enough. The following coupled with a good Project Management course will build your reputation and credibility.

It should be noted, and this is a personal opinion from the author, that all software classes teach that the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is how we manage projects. This is true in principle. However, the WBS is not a good scheduling estimation nor control tool, mainly because it does not show relationships and therefore, cannot show scheduling information.

Alert

The following is meant to show how all software classes teach you their software. It is highly recommended that you abandon this practice and convince all non-PM related people the same.

All software training teaches you to build a WBS. This is a good practice, but they stop there and tell you to input directly into MS Project using the Gantt view.

You’ll get something like this:

The classes will tell you to enter the durations of the tasks into the duration column. MS Project will then create boxes equal to the length of the duration, like this:

Then the classes will tell you several different ways to create links, that is, to show relationships. After talking with over 500 people who have attended MS Project Training classes, there has been NO disagreement.

Link by clicking and dragging between the Gantt Bars. Or….
Select two or more tasks and click the LINK TASK icon on the menu bar. Or…
Go to the Predecessor Column and create the links by scrolling up and down and inputting the numbers

These techniques are fine for smaller projects (50 tasks or less). But, there is a huge problem with this. And one that most people quickly discover, i.e., you may or may not have the right logic. By using the above techniques, you are creating the Network Logic in your head. And, the software has to do the same thing - create the logic in the way that you suggest.

Many people have reported that when using the above technique, that they cannot really see the logic using View…Network. The boxes are all over the place. Some people even try to rearrange the logic on the Network Page, usually to no avail.

Now for the TECHNIQUE.

Network Diagram

It is important to discuss the Network diagram. I have been a Project Manager and have been teaching PM for over 25 years, and I state without hesitation that the Network diagram IS THE TOOL for all projects. It is unfortunate that training manuals only spend a few paragraphs on the Network, and spend many pages on the above WBS/Gantt technique above. All PM Application software teaches the WBS/Gantt methodology. Shifting to the Network is going to require a major attitude shift in corporations.

The following table shows the advantages and disadvantages of the WBS/Gantt technique vs. the Network Diagram. The big question is: Do you want PM software to manage the Project or do you want pretty charts?

Gantt Positives

Echoes the WBS
Good display for presentations
Shows direct phases and/or functions
Easier entry - type from WBS and indent
Software set up to provide easy entry - tool bar has several different mechanisms
Gives Sr. mgmt, etc. a warm fuzzy
Conventional top-down approach
Taught by all PM software schools
Shows work in top-down format
Auto number of WBS with indents / Gantt Negatives
Not auto feed to Network
Hard to manipulate and change network
Builds logic "in head"
No software can create logic without asking PM questions
Clumsy entry for predecessors and successors
Critical Path hard to discern
Predecessor/Successors may not be accurate
Float and buffers may not be accurate
Network created by software fills multiple pages and has lines drawn all over
May not have true project logic
May not have good baseline
May not have milestones
Resource/costs may not show contentions or over allocation
Schedules have to be finessed or massaged to reflect actuals
Date changes and actuals may not impact successors
May not have accurate Earned Value
Taught by all PM Software schools
Network Positives
Develops logic
Accurate Critical Path (automatically generated)
Accurate Gantt (automatically created)
Changes on network automatically reflected on Gantt and vice versa
Accurate link of scheduling and costs
"The" tool for SCC
All PM software handles easily
Allows team participation in building
Better buy-in for impacts
Accurate baseline
Accurate cumulative curves
Provides set-up for tracking and monitoring actuals
Still have WBS - at the work package level
Shows all work in a logical flow
Allows addition of Project Management, Reserves, Profit
Allows addition of Milestones, lag, other relationships (FF, SS)
Accurate Earned Value
Enables use of Critical Chain and Theory of Constraints (TOC)
Resource and cost entries show accurate contentions and over allocation
No manual calculation of Network necessary
Shows work from project perspective / Network Negatives
Looks ugly
Requires extra amount of work to create
Numbering scheme is from 1 to N (N = number of tasks)
Have to develop on paper first
No WBS format
No formal printing of WBS
WBS is at work package level only
Not taught any where
Have to click and drag forever
Requires paradigm shift
Have to add extra fields for phases/functions

Building the Network Diagram

Create Network Diagram (Logic Only) - You need 3 things for a good network – the name of the task, the duration, and the logic. The Network is the logical relationship of the tasks and activities (synonymous with Work Package). Ask these questions to build the logic

What comes first, second, third, etc.?
What are the relations of the activities?
What are the predecessors and successors?
What can be done in parallel, serial?
How can we make this as tight a schedule as possible?

It is important to not enter anything into software applications until you have completed the Network on paper. There are several reasons for this:

Post-it notes are easier to move than blocks on a computer screen.
The paper network will give you the opportunity to see the big picture – computer screens are rather limited in showing the entire project.
With a paper network, you can enlist as many people as possible to build it. On the computer, you really can only have 1 or 2 people. This is a huge tool in getting buy-in. If the people develop their logic and durations, they can’t dispute their own data.

Three techniques for building the Network:

Map the work packages (tasks or activities) from your WBS on flip charts or on brown butcher-block paper. The easiest way is to pull off the Work Packages (lowest level of the WBS) and ask the above questions for the logic.
Brown Paper Exercise. Use long rolls of paper and simply create the logic by asking “How do we do business around here?” or “What are all the tasks to complete this project?” This exercise needs to have about 3-8 cross-functional people and about 2-5 days depending on the complexity of the project. All you need is a large room, plenty of pens and post-its and the time. The return on this exercise is enormous. This can by-pass the WBS and is a recommended way if your planning time is short
This last method is called the “Customer/Supplier model”. It takes more time and produces an extremely sophisticated logic flow. Start by using the Brown Paper method above. Instead of just building the logic, start from the last milestone and ask, “What do we need to do to ensure 100% customer satisfaction?” Put all the tasks on individual post-its and map to that final milestone. Then for each task in reverse sequence ask, “What do we need to do to ensure that this person has complete satisfaction?”

This can take a great deal of time, but again, the rewards are significant. If nothing else, it gets people talking across the functional lines.

Think of the network diagram as a database. They are hard to build, but once you have the information, it will form the basis for managing your project. It provides an excellent schedule and cost estimation and control tool, gives you a baseline function, and establishes Earned Value. With no equivocation, I have stated in many classes that the Network Diagram is “the” tool for good project management.

Now that we have the network, we can enter it into the software. If your Network looks ugly, you probably have a great start. There is really no way to make it look good. A big question would be Why do you want it to look good?

Using MS Project

Open MS project if not already open.

Set up a template first and use this for all subsequent projects.

Go to Tools...Options… View. In the lower right corner, click Project Summary Task
Set default to Fixed Duration (Tools…Options…Schedule…Fixed Duration). This means that the duration remains the same, no matter how many resources are attached. Any availability (% time on project) will affect the costs. If you are using Effort or Fixed Work, skip this step.
Go to Gantt Chart Wizard (Magic Wand Icon) and click Next...Other… Baseline 3 to get Planned, Actuals, and Baseline for your Gantt chart.

Click Next…None, Thanks…Next…No, Thanks to shut off the text info and relationship lines. The relationship lines on the Gantt chart are hard to follow. If someone needs to see the predecessors and successors, we will show them the Net work Diagram.
Click Format and Exit Wizard
If you want to reformat Milestones Click Format…Bar Styles.
Format …Timescale and set Gantt to time scale of months and weeks.
Format anything else that you may want.
Save as template with name of your choice.

The Magic Trick

Now, we will use MS Project the way is was intended, as a Project Estimation and Control package.

Start with your Network Diagram. Here is a simple one to use for this exercise.
Note that the critical path is Start…Task BBBB…Task CCCC…Finish and that the duration is 25 days.
Go to View Network. Or click on the Network Icon on the left side of the screen. You will have a blank page.
Click and hold the click -drag mouse to form a box about 2” x 2”. Release mouse and you should have a box like this:

Type in START (you’ll be in the edit mode just like in Excel). Click on box with 1 day and type 0 for the duration. Hit enter and the box should change to a Hexadecimal Shape (for milestone). Note in the example below that the Milestone box has a band around it. This exercise was done using MS Project 98.
Put your cursor in the center of the Start box (the one just created); click and hold your mouse and drag about 2” to create 2nd activity.

Type in AAAA and duration of 10. Notice that the two boxes are red, indicating the critical path.
Click in the center of Start and drag to create activity BBBB. and enter 15 days for duration. Notice the critical path shifted.

If you need to move a box, put your cursor on the border and it should change to a black 4 arrow icon: . Click your mouse and move the box. The length of the lines and the positioning of the boxes is irrelevant. Each relationship is a Finish to Start with 0 Lag. If you need to change a relationship, double click on the line between the boxes. You’ll get the following Dialog box:

Click cancel to continue the Network.

Put your cursor in the center of AAAA and drag to create Task CCCC. Type in 10 for the duration and note that the critical path changes again.

Two activities may be connected by simply clicking in the center of one and dragging to center of the other one. Click from the center of BBBB to the center of CCCC. The critical path shifts again. Critical Path does not mean tasks are critical or high risk; only that they have to be done as scheduled. The CP can, and will change. PM Software automatically tracks and changes this for you. Be careful of errant mouse clicks!!!

Create the Finish Milestone by clicking in the center of CCCC and dragging to the right. Enter Finish and 0.

How close does this match to our original Network? The lines are diagonal as opposed to rectilinear – that is a formatting issue.

Now the piece de resistance!!!! Go to View…Gantt or hit the Gantt Icon on the left. Your Gantt should look like this:

Note that Gantt and Network chart are one and the same - only different displays. Corrections and updates to tasks can be done using the Gantt view and tables. For example, change the duration of task AAAA to 20 days by simply clicking on the table where it says 10 and type 20. Watch what happens to the Gantt Chart.

Go to View…Network and observe the change there:

Critical Path changed!!!!!

Any logic changes (adding or deleting a task, changing a relationship) should be done using View Network.

To get a Cascade Gantt chart, go to Gantt View, then – Project…Sort… Start Date. This does not affect the Network Diagram.
To renumber the tasks after cascading Project…Sort…Sort By…click on Auto renumber box.

Resource Loading

Thus far, we have created a Network from a pure logic perspective. We now need to enter resources and see how this affects the schedule. If you enter resources with their unit cost and attach them to individual tasks, you will get cost estimations and later cost control ability.

As an example, let’s add a resource to the above Network and see the effects. Resource 1 will be on task AAAA and is valued at $500/day. Resource 2 is on BBBB and CCCC at $300/day. The cost of this project should be:

AAAA – 20 days x $500 = $10,000

BBBB – 15 days x $300 = $4,500

CCCC – 10 days x $300 = $3,000

Total = $17,500

Let’s also add a fixed cost (equipment purchase) of $5000 on Task AAAA. The total for the project should be $22,500.

Click on Resource sheet or View…Resource Sheet. Enter Resources and unit costs on Resource Sheet by clicking and typing (just like an Excel Spread Sheet). Your chart should be:

It would be very handy if Human Resources or some other department could create these resource charts for you.
Attach resources using either the Gantt or Network view. For this example, use Network.
Clicking on the People icon in top bar gives a dialog box to Assign Resources to individual tasks. Both resources are entered. Units is the same as availability. Costs will be automatically summed. Equipment purchases, labs, test facilities, etc. can be considered as resources.
Click once on task AAAA to highlight it. Click once on RESOURCE 1 to highlight and click Assign.

Click on BBBB once, click Resource 2 Assign. Click CCCC, Resource 2 Assign. As you assign, the resource is automatically allocated 100% availability. Changing the Units ( Availability) will give you a cost differential.