Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project is a project management software program, which is designed to assist a project manager in developing a plan

assigning resources to tasks

tracking progress

managing the budget, &

analyzing workloads

HISTORY

Ron Bredehoeft (early 1980s) The first commercial version of Project was released

for DOS in 1984. Microsoft bought all rights to the software in 1985

and released version 2.

Also the program, allows users to:

Understand and control project schedules and finances.

Communicate and present project information.

Organize work and people to make sure that projects are completed on schedule.

OVERVIEW

Tables for entry Data Gantt Chart for timescale

review Task Oriented Every Project is made of

task

Advantages of using MS Project Maturity:

Microsoft Project is a very mature Project Management tool. MS Project was first released in 1984 and over the next 26 years, Microsoft has listened to the increasing number of Project Managers adopting this tool, and added/enhanced a lot of features that are now vital for managing projects.

Support and Reliability:

Microsoft Project is developed by the largest and most reputable software company in the world, which offers reliable support of this product.

Easy Integration with other Microsoft Products:

MS Project offers integration with other MS Products that are highly popular, such as MS Word, MS Excel, and MS Outlook.

Desktop Application:

MS Project is a desktop application, which means the Project Manager can work on the project schedule even if there is no Internet connection.

Disadvantages of using MS Project Steep Learning Curve:

MS Project is a software that needs some considerable training and experience to get know how to use it.

Generic Focus:

MS Project does not focus on any particular industry (though some say it’s slightly more inclined to Software Project Management), this results in Project Managers using a tool that is not tailored to their needs.

Compatibility Issues:

MS Project files are saved in a proprietary format, meaning they won’t run on any other PC unless that PC has also (usually the same or a later version of) MS Project installed. This makes the life of the Project Manager harder as he has to make sure that everyone (including the stakeholders, the client, and the team members) receiving a copy of the .mpp has to have MS Project installed on his PC.

CRITICAL PATH METHOD

BURNDOWN REPORTS

Graphical representation of work left to do versus time.

CASH FLOW