How To Plan A Project In A Microsoft Project On A Microsatellite (Wemu) (For Free) (Free) (Wimwiki) (Powerbook) (Programming) (Websoft) (Netware) (

Transcription

1 Project Planning

2 Projects Project components A goal. Typically not well defined A deadline. Often arbitrarily close Some resources. Manpower, money, equipment,... Complexity. Management needed Management Requirements Tasks Schedule Risks Resources 2

3 Planning Phases Draft Initial sketch Go/NoGo decision Refinement/Analysis Collect information, brain-storming Definition of requirements + tasks Implementation (of the plan) Schedule, man-power, budget Execution Perform tasks Team? Responsibility? Power? Controlling Iterations 3

4 Simple Projects Single-person, no-budget Still with goal, deadline, complexity and risk E.g. your master-thesis Overall goal + deadline: obvious Analysis Documentation + data management SW Mindmaps, Wikis, etc Information: topics, literature, skills, external dependencies,... Requirements: functionality, performance, language,... Risks: incorrect assumptions, doesn't work, too slow, too late,... Plan-B (several?) Define tasks, dependencies + milestones Plan Project planning SW Do your work! Reserve time for controlling/monitoring 4

5 Larger Projects Human + financial resources Same structure as before plus Resource management Teamwork Team Consider even on short-term student groups Members: hard (task relevant) + soft (team relevant) skills Leader: set goals, decide, supervise, support, represent Often plus member tasks Personal issues (team/self-oriented, character,...) Phases: orientation, conflicts, organization, performance Topic on it's own 5

6 Team Hints Keep in mind: even small (>1), short-term groups are teams Without explicit team-structure members will underperform due to competition for leadership, unclear responsibilities/tasks or personal habit Results will be sub-optimal and/or late Maybe doesn't matter so much But this one does Work will be less fun Even with explicit structure the above might happen Without leader, members should agree on goals, responsibilities and milestones As early as possible Every member can request this to be done 6

7 Software Tools Information Collection Textfiles, databases OneNote (MS) Wikis: ZimWiki Visualisation Drawings, diagrams Maps Cmap MindManager (more powerful) Plan MS-Project OpenProj 7

8 Information Collection

9 Information Handling Software Wiki: The simplest online database that could possibly work. ( Wikis are frequently used to collect information on WWW servers Users can change content and structure of the data Data: text + document attachements (images, multimedia, doc files, etc) + formatting Structure: All content is held in pages. Page crossreferences can be changes Zim Wiki is a desktop based Wiki Multiple books Wiki-like GUI 9

10 Starting Start ZIM from menu or type zim on the command line Create or select a notebook Select default book 10

11 Configuration Select plugins Alphabetic sort Task list Screenshot (if avail.) Calendar Tags Calculator Edit first page Text Backlinks: :target 11

12 Pages Create a couple of pages and sub-pages Pages can be moved Or renamed 12

13 Add content Apart from formatted text, we can add documents links... and images We can also add files via the attachement folder or via the tools menue Clicking links starts the application (e.g. openoffice) 13

14 Search Search for plain text, tags or for backlinks (to current page) Adding a backlink to a page (e.g. :top:sub) creates that page 14

15 To Do's Pages can contain to-do items, with due dates and priorities [] ToDo [d: ]!!! All items are listed in the to-do view (need index rebuild) Not aware of interface to external calendar tools 15

16 CMAPs

17 Step 1 Start /hwp/ihmc_cmaptools/bin/cmaptools Login with some pwd 17

18 Step

19 Step 2 Select root folder in user area 19

20 Step 3 Default new map is created automatically Create new folder, save map into 20

21 Step 4 Drag sources into new folder from file browser Switch between tree/symbol view NB: German word for Löschen is Keine Treffer 21

22 Step 5 Create map with concepts (boxes) and propositions (arrows) Drag sources from repository view Use colors, infos, comments, containers, links Layout options: manual, auto layout 22

23 Step 6 Export CMAP to HTML Flat folder structure with all files, except comments Example: copy tools folder from resources into My_Cmaps 23

24 Project Planning Software

25 Planning Software Basic functionality Definition of tasks and milestones WBS work breakdown structure Allocation of resources Graphical Text/table based RBS resource breakdown structure Scheduling and dependencies Monitoring Real projects are dynamic Progress monitoring Schedule updates Options: alerts, interfaces 25

26 Openproj Serves basic functionality plus dynamic updates Limited compatibility to MS Project Multiplatform files: penproj%20binaries/1.4/ 26

27 Create Project + Tasks In Gantt-view insert tasks via Ctrl-I Edit properties 27

28 Create resources In Resource-view insert resource via Ctrl-I 28

29 Assign Resources to Tasks 29

30 Define Dependencies Alternative: Click on first task and drag chain to second task 30

31 Project with Tasks and Utilisation Graph Save initial version as baseline via tools->controlling->save baseline 31

32 Modify Resources 32

33 Schedule Slips wrt. Baseline Update project via tools->controlling->update 33

34 Pert View (Netzplan) 34

35 More Infos on Resource Usage 35

36 Budgeting per Task/Resource 36

37 Project Planning Exercises

38 Step 1 Groups of 3 or 4 Preferably not familiar to each other Conflict Set-up team Leader? Skills? Define project, goals, responsibilities Orientation Organisation Performance SW/HW development, scientific publication (e.g. your thesis), etc. Sketch approach (the HOW) Consider risks (can be virtual) 38

39 Step 2 Use ZIM to collect project relevant resources Plain text, images, screen shots URLs Bibliographic information Arrange information Tags Links Search for something Define requirements Can be abstract/non-sense, but from various areas Use cases, non-functional, functional Milestones 39

40 Step 3 Use CMAPs to visualize important project aspects For exampe: requirements, specification, implementation (or whatever is important) Use different maps with cross-links Auto layout vs. manual layout Use different sources (URLs, images, PDF) Export one particular map to WWW for public distribution Make sure all links are valid 40

41 Step 4 Sketch from requirements ZIM or Excel Task set (a few) Resources (team members, different skills) Define milestones Openproj WBS + RBS Save baseline Apply dynamics (e.g. unexpected vacation, new task, missed milestone) Check resource utilization, deadlines Update project 41

42 Step 5 Documentation Slides of cmap and plan (results, screenshots) Including risk effects Discussion Tools Team 42

43 Operational Structure For each step 2-4 One person to watch time Individual work with tool ~70% Discuss individual results in team ~ 20% Decide ~10%. Prepare ~2 slides per step Next step Step durations (approx.) 10% team 20% zim, 20% cmap, 40% proj 10% wrap-up 43

44 SW Setup Example software Cmap: cmap.ihmc.us/download/index.php Zim: zim-wiki.org/downloads.html OpenProj: sourceforge.net/projects/openproj/ ProjLibre: sourceforge.net/projects/projectlibre New Install on your machine or log-on to HWP ssh -X -p 222 If no connection go via KIP server ssh -X Then proceed to hwpsvr On hwpsvr: ssh -X shuttle0<x> (x = 1..6) Run programs on shuttle machines 44

45 Happy Planning... 45