Seven Steps To Build A Realistic Schedule in Project 2010

Takeaways:

You should be able to:

Step 1: Enter Project Information

1. Setup the start date / finish date

2. Understand relevance of base calendars

3. Customize the base calendars.

Step 2: Create WBS

4.  Show the project summary task

5.  Types of tasks: normal, summary, milestones and recurring tasks

6.  Set the right project calendar

Step 3: Link tasks

7.  Appreciate why linking tasks is better than entering dates

8.  Create task dependencies using Gantt Chart view

9.  View network diagram

Step 4: Assign resources to tasks

10. Add resources (work, material, cost) through Resource Sheet view

11. Assign budget and non-budget resources to tasks

12. Understand how task type field affects work, duration and units calculation

Step 5: Optimize schedule

13. Identify the critical path

14.  Use different views to spot resource over allocation

15.  Resource smoothing options without affecting project finish date

Step 6: Baseline schedule

16.  Set a first baseline

17.  Baseline fields vs Forecast fields

18. Update selected tasks in baseline

Step 7: Track actuals, and report status

19.  Use Tracking table to record actual at task level

20.  Use Resource usage to record actual at assignment level

21.  Report project and task progress

Speaker:

Sai Prasad, MCTS, PMP, PMI-SP, has been with service provider Cognizant since 2001, where he was named winner of the company's Global Trainer of the Year award. Sai has conducted 5,000-plus hours of training in technical and project management topics. He's also the editor of the project management book, Forecast Scheduling with Project 2010. You can read Sai's blog at http://www.sainivas.com. Contact him at mailto: sai@sainivas.com.