Is Authoritative - accustomed to exercising authority, positive. Not Authoritarian which is complete obedience or subjection to authority as opposed to individual freedom
Is Decisive
Is a Good Communicator
Manages by data and facts not uninformed optimism
Leads by example
has sound Judgement
Is a Motivator
Is Diplomatic
Can Delegate
Microsoft Project Workflow - Setup and Update
Phase 1 - Planning Project (50% done)
List of tasks need to complete the project
Link Task - this task needs to be completed before this task begins
Task Sequence and dependencies
Resourcing - define team members
Plan the duration (schedule days) and work (man hours) each task will take
Phase 2 - Setup Project
Enter Summary Tasks
Enter Individual Tasks
Link Tasks using Predecessors
Add resources
Plan the Duration (number of working days)
Adjust start and finish dates, if necessary
Phase 3 - add milestones (maybe recurring meetings but could be noise in the schedule)
Phase 4 - Establish a baseline/snapshot to compare against
uncheck “Leveling can create splits in remaining work”
Option 2: manual split
Task tab → Schedule panel → Split button
How do I set the leveling order?
Resource tab → Level panel → Leveling Options
Leveling order: ID Only (this is good if when you entered the tasks, you put them in sequential order)
Priority, Standard
Display Priority field, default values are 500, so if you want a higher priority, enter 600
Costs
Fixed Cost column = equipment, manually enter this
Cost column = labor such as duration x units, calculated by MS Project
Resource sheet
How do you display the critical path
Format → Critical tasks
Duration is NOT the deference between Finish and Start dates (which is called Span). Duration is calculated based on working days only.
Duration - our best guess as to the number of working days it should take to perform a task
Span - the number of calendar days it should take to perform that task (Project calculates this). Difference between Finish and Start dates (including weekends)
Work - the amount of time or effort expended by a resource while performing a task. Work is NOT the same as duration. Need to add resources to the task, then Project will populate the Work field. So if the calendar shows 8 hour days and the duration is 5 days, then Work will be calculated as 40 hrs (5 x 8).
File → Options → Schedule → New tasks are effort driven (default is unchecked)
Manually Scheduled vs Auto Scheduled
'Manually Scheduled' is the default for new tasks in MS Project (lower left corner)
Manually Scheduled tasks show light blue 'pin symbol' in Task Mode column
But Critical Path requires 'Auto Scheduling'
Auto Scheduled tasks show blue 'rectangular symbol' under Task Mode column
File → Options → Schedule → New Tasks Created → Auto Scheduled
Gantt Chart (Discouraged)
'Gantt Chart' view is the default in MS Project
Default does NOT show Critical Path (in red)
View → Task View → Gantt Chart → Gantt Chart
Format → Bar Styles → Critical Tasks (is unchecked by default)
Tracking Gantt Chart (Preferred)
'Tracking Gantt' view shows Critical Path (in red), but only 1 bar
After project baseline is set, Tracking Gantt will show 2 bars
Lower bar is gray Baseline Start/Finish (to be approved by Administrator)
Upper bar is colored Actual Start/Finish (and progress tracking)
View → Task View → Gantt Chart → Tracking Gantt
Format → Bar Styles → Critical Tasks is checked by default
Entry Table
A table is a set of columns to easily see different sets of data
Entry Table is the default in MS Project, and used to create your initial schedule
View → Data → Tables → Entry Table (is checked by default)
Insert Summary Tasks for major phases (Concept Design, Preliminary Design, etc.)
Tasks → Insert → Summary
Then add individual tasks
Link tasks accordingly
Estimate Duration (number of working days)
Adjust Start and Finish dates, if necessary
Create Custom Table (LHTAC Invoice)
MS Project allows you to customize any standard table or create a new table
View → Data → Tables → More Tables
Select 'Entry' Table, then select Copy, and name it LHTAC Invoice
Customize the table by 'Hiding' and 'Adding' columns to only show
ID
Indicators
% Complete
Task Name
Duration
Baseline Start
Baseline Finish
Actual Start
Actual Finish
Select the option Show in Menu → select OK → and Apply the table
Create Custom Table (LHTAC Tracking)
Customize the standard Tracking Table
View → Data → Tables → More Tables
Select 'Tracking' Table, and select Copy, and name it LHTAC Tracking
Customize the table by 'Deleting' or 'Inserting' rows to only show:
ID
Task Name
Actual Start
Actual Finish
% Complete
Actual Duration
Remaining Duration
Select the option Show in Menu → select OK → and Apply the table
LHTAC Project Tracking
Beginning to Track the Project
1) Set the project to 'forward planning' mode (tasks begin as soon as possible):
Project → Properties → Project Information → Schedule from → Project Start Date
2) Set the project baseline:
Get Administrator approval of CPM, then set Baseline for Entire project
Project → Schedule → Set Baseline → Set Baseline → For Entire project (checked)
Note, if a time extension is approved, then a new Baseline should be set
Baseline Start and Baseline Finish
A baseline is a 'snapshot' of project data to compare your project at one point in time to a different point in time
Baseline Start is the planned start date for a task (new tasks are 0% complete)
Baseline Finish is the planned finish date for a task
Actual Start and Actual Finish
Actual Start is the actual start date for a task
Actual Finish is the actual finish data for a task (100% Complete adds the check mark indicator)
Both show 'NA' until an actual date is entered for a task
Three Rules for Tracking Your Project
Task started: Actual Start
Task in progress: Actual Duration, Remaining Duration (Project calculates % Complete)
Task completed: Actual Finish (MS Project calculated 100% Complete)
Tracking Methods
1) Percent Complete only (Discouraged)
Very simple to use, but does NOT accurately forecast your project schedule
Assumes Start dates are 'on-schedule' for your tasks
Click on a Task → Task Information → General → Percent complete
2) Actual Duration and Remaining Duration (Preferred)
Slightly more data entry, but accurately forecasts your project schedule
Accurately calculates % Complete
Actual Duration is number of actual working days spent on a task
Remaining Duration is number of remaining working days to complete a task
LHTAC Tracking Table
LHTAC Tracking Table is used to track Actual Duration and Remaining Duration
View → Data → Tables → Custom → LHTAC Tracking
Entering Actual Duration, Remaining Duration, or % Complete field automatically recalculates the other fields, so enter a value in only one of these fields for a task
First, enter Actual Start date of the task
Second, enter Actual Duration spent on the task
Remaining Duration and % Complete are automatically calculated by MS Project
Third, adjust Remaining Duration (if necessary)
% Complete is automatically adjusted by MS Project
Side Gigs with Microsoft Project
Project Options
Schedule
Hours per day: 2
Hours per week: 10
Days per month: 20
New tasks created: Auto Scheduled
Gantt Charts
Background
Invented by Henry Gantt in 1910
Dates along the x-axis
Tasks along the y-axis
horizontal bars showing how long each task takes to complete
Which tasks are dependent or have prerequisites (e.g. can't install windows until the wall framing is complete)
Why is a Gantt Chart helpful?
If you don't have all the tasks and costs associated with a project, then will run out of money because things cost more than expected and/or will constantly be stressed out with surprises - things that needed to be done
Think of a project of selling cookies, you have everyone in the kitchen to help but you don't have the recipe written down, or you don't have a list of ingredients, or what if the person who is bring the ingredients calls in sick, and so on.
Luke 14:28-30 - “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?”
Prerequisites
List of all tasks needed to complete the project
this is the hardest part and never fully discussed in project management training as it is extremely project specific
How long each task will take to complete
Fastest time (20 hrs) - never use this
Average time (30 hrs) - don't use this, means 50% time will be wrong
Longest time (60 hrs)- don't use this, won't get the job
90% confidence (45 hrs) (halfway between Average and Longest time), still will fail 1 out of 10 times. Also could say add 25% to the average to cover unexpected working.
Which tasks a dependent upon one another
Identify Milestones - statement something happened, past tense, such as “50% Plans Completed”, think in terms of a months worth of work/effort resulted in what accomplishment, that is the milestone.
12-Step Project Management
Step 1 - Define the project
having a vague definition of the project is a very common reason for project failure (failure to meet the clients/stakeholders expectations)
Time - limit
Money - budget
Quality - deliverables
What is the key driver/highest priority/must have, this is the No. 1 goal and get the commitment on it (don't start until you have agreement), don't fail on it. Probe the customer(s), the art of selling.
Why?
What if?
Can we trade? I you spent a little more we could add these really cool features, think of buying a car or home. If yes, can spend more, then know quality is the key driver over money.
Expand scope of project during design - happens because not clear definition of the project at the beginning. Adding extra things is ok if the client knows it will cost more money and extend the project length/time.
Nail down the deliverables, vague projects will fail!
Say Yes or No, never maybe, need to be clear upfront.
Step 2 - List all the tasks
If you say “ongoing” then don't have enough detail, seems like you want to identify tasks that take 1-5 days to complete, if takes more than that, break it down to sub tasks. If task takes an hour to complete, think about grouping/merging with other tasks to fill a day.
Step 3 - Estimate times and costs for each task
Step 4 - Add up time and cost (Network Diagram)
Network Diagram flushes out the Critical Path
Do this with post-it notes on the whiteboard or use Visio if on computer projector
Involve the whole team
Try not to apply read deadline in this process, this will be done later. If you do, then will introduce errors, say Survey will take 6 weeks to complete but you want it done faster and you put 3 weeks. Now the project schedule is wrong and it will still end up taking 6 weeks to do.
Step 5 - Shorten your project plan (Time is major goal)
Focus on the critical path, not floating tasks
Spend more money
Reduce quality
Overlap tasks
Step 6 - Draw a Gantt chart
Need tasks, time, relationships, critical path from Network Diagram
Communicate - show at project kickoff meeting to communicate with team players, get their buy-in
Step 7 - Calculate resource requirements over time
Step 8 - Assess risks (what could go wrong?) and prepare action plans
Risk analysis - each risk gets likely to happen (0-5) and seriousness (0-5), then multiple together - issues are any double digit numbers.
Involve team
Review previous projects
Keep this updated as the project goes along
Step 9 - Monitor progress (time) during the project
Step 10 - Monitor cost (money) during the project
Step 11 - Reschedule - modify the plan
Step 12 - Project Review - learn and praise (only way to learn a better way)
Purpose of Gantt Charts in Project Management
Planning your project
Money needed
People needed
Scope of project
Explaining your project
Everyone can see there part in the project, how they fit in, contribute to building the project
Monitoring your project
Are we still on schedule? So a Gantt chart is a living document, needs to be updated weekly, not something that gets filed away
Adjusting your plan if things change
Typically adding extra tasks as it is very difficult to predict all the necessary steps/tasks to complete a project
Precedences Network Diagram
Critical Path - longest sequence of activities in a project that must be completed to be on time
Slippage - what has actually happened over what should have happened
Floating Tasks - show when the earliest they can start by a vertical line, the task length such as 1 week, and latest they can end. These tasks can be adjusted based on limited resources and they don't affect the time it takes to finish the project.
Benefits of doing early
if task takes longer to complete still have a time buffer
Benefits of doing late
Always get more information as the project goes along, so if you already did the floating task, might have to revise it with this new info
saves on cash flow - not buying materials too soon and they are just sitting around can get broken or stolen
1.3 Project Management - planning, scheduling, Microsoft Project
2. Planning
2.1 Entitlements
2.2 Environmental
3. GIS
4. Survey
5. CAD
6. Civil
7. Consultant
8. Bid
9. Construction
Civil Science - North Date
Notice of Funding
Design / 404 Permitting
Bid Advertisement
Bid Award
Permitting (SWPPP)
Mobilization
Set up Traffic Control
Install BMPs
Removals
Clearing and Grubbing
Remove and Replace Hydrant
Pipe Installation
Minor Structures
Structural Excavation
Install Bridge Extension
Backfill Structure
Excavation
Sediment & Oil Traps
Inlets
3/4“ aggregate
Curb & Gutter
Sidewalk
Retaining wall
Plant mix pavement
concrete stairs
seed bed prep
seeding
signs / mailboxes
raise valves / manholes
striping
special pavement marking
remove traffic control
Project Management - Guest House
Civil Engineering Aspects of the addition of a Guest House or Garage to an existing single family home
Microsoft OneNote
Problem - multiple people working on a project, need to look up contact info, HTE# and other details of the project. Prefer to do this from the mobile phone, often at the front counter doing a submittal and asked what is the address of the site or the HTE#?
Office 365 Business is \$8.25 per user/month which is the same as Office 365 Education ProPlus which is \$2 per user/month and includes Exchange Online for email.
Microsoft Project Procedures
01-Basics
Navigating in MS Project
Task → Scroll to Task
View → Entire Project
#1 enter tasks
#2 group with summary tasks
#3 move tasks in schedule order
#4 link tasks
#5 assign resources
define part-time and full-time resources before adding, having problems assigning resources as full-time then changing to part-time, getting bunch of over allocation of resources “red man” warnings.
02-Options
Step 0 - MS Project Options (File → Options)
General
Date 1/28/09 (use short date when printing Gantt charts)
uncheck Show the start screen when this application starts
Display
Entry bar (turn on)
Schedule
New tasks created: Auto Schedule (whole reason why I'm using MS Project - so it can calculate the optimum schedule)
Autolink inserted or moved tasks (checked on)
Default task type: Fixed Duration (recommended by Rich Weller)
Fixed Work (use by assigning 2 people to the project, then task duration gets cut in half)
Fixed units = fixed people, one person assigned to creating the logo, adding more people won't get it done faster.
Photo session for about us on website, will take both Owner and Photographer
Fixed work = more people assigned shortens the duration, example mowing the lawn
Fixed duration = example 1-hour safety meeting, add more people doesn't change duration of the meeting
check on Don't show backstage view when opening or saving files, then can go directly to the Open dialog box
check on Save to computer by default (instead of trying to save to OneDrive)
Trust Center
Trust Center Settings button → Add-ins → disable ProCore plugin
Privacy Settings → check on Removal personal information from the file properties on save (use if making a standard template to share with others)
Format → Text Styles
Use font pairings
03-Tasks
Process Group 1 - Initiation
Vision and scope - ensure the scope of work is aligned to the vision of the project
Relationships and key stakeholders - 50% of time developing relationships with stakeholders about their vision and documenting it. What is important to them and how they want to kept in the loop
Organization and Governance - document how decisions are made and when escalations are necessary from core team up to the stakeholders.
Communication and meeting cadence - regular meetings to discuss topics
Tools and Processes - Microsoft Project, sharing files
References
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)
Step 0 - Create list of tasks/activities/work packages (for a given time period), group by heading/summary task (group by entity/contractor/consultant doing the work), milestones and project name
Tasks - should take 1 day to 10 days to complete or 8 hrs to 80 hrs
Task Deadlines on Task Information → Advanced tab → Constrain task Deadline (then enter a date). Displays as a green diamond on the schedule
How to determine if task is broken down small enough?
Are the time and cost easy to estimate?
Is the status easy to measure?
Is the task duration shorter than reporting periods (typically 1 month)?
Are details manageable?
Advanced Properties
File → Info → Project Information → Advanced Properties
Summary Tasks - headings/groups/phases such as Design, Construction
Project Summary Task - Title of the project
Format tab → Show/Hide pane → Project Summary Task (check)
Milestone - statement something happened, past tense, such as “50% Plans Completed”. Must link to a task, CANNOT link to a summary task.
04-Start Date
Step 1 - Enter Project Start or Finish Date
Project → Project Information
Schedule from: Project Start Date
Finish date: should be able to change/edit the date which is grayed out when Schedule from Project Start Date is selected
“Tip: Project management Schedule your project from a start time if you can. Even if you know the date by which a project must be complete, scheduling from a start date gives you the maximum amount of flexibility.” (Set the start date or finish date for your project
05-Project Name
Step 1 - change project name
Format > Show/Hide panel > Project Summary Task (check on)
Start: Manually enter or Calculated if you change the % Complete field
End: Manually enter or Calculated if % Work Complete field is 100
Duration: because entering a value in the Actual Duration, Remaining Duration, or % Complete field automatically recalculates the other fields, you should enter a value in only one of these fields for a task.
change Task entry from “Entry” to “Tracking” by right clicking above the 0 row and left of the Task Name
Other Stuff
Deadlines
double click the task to open properties “Summary Task Information”, Advanced tab > Deadline: enter date
Think must have min duration of 1 day
Milestones are tasks with 0 days, shown as small black diamonds, having problems making subtasks into milestones and being able to change the date
[Q] What is the difference between a Summary task and a Milestone task (events)
[Q] How do you make a template that has a single date, so when I copy it to a new project, all I have to do is change the start date and the timeline automatically updates, so in the proposals, can see how long the project will take to complete. Should be a great selling tool and management.
[Q] How do I enter the projected completion date of a project?
References
Rich Weller, weller34@hotmail.com
Oregon - Clackamas County - Bob Knorr, Project Manager, (rknorr@clackamas.us, 503-742-4680, RobertEKnorr@gmail.com) member of Project Management Institute, Civil 3D 2017 certification
