Week #4: (2/13-17) Scheduling & Gantt Charts, Software. HW Assignment

[rjagodowski]

NOTE: Due to a snowstorm on 2/9 (Week #3), we will finish Week #3's Material before beginning this content.

This week we will discuss scheduling, PERT/CPM & Gantt Charts and an introduction to some of the software which can be used to help create effective schedules.

Here's some background links project management scheduling. I believe you may have to Register on their website to access the links below.

Project Management Tools & Strategies

PERT - Program Evaluation Review Technique which is also similar to CPM - Critical Path Method.

Gantt Charts.

In general, PERT charts show dependencies better than Gantt charts, but can be difficult to read for complex tasks. Gantt charts offer a better method to show project status but dependencies are more difficult to represent.

Here's a handout presenting an Overview of Project Management and Scheduling:

Project Management Planning & Scheduling.pdf

(205.52 KiB) Downloaded 163 times

A common scheduling chart is called a Gantt Chart. Here is Wikipedia on Gantt Charts.

Here's a YouTube Video on How to Create a Gantt Chart in Excel. Watch this video before next week's class. There is a homework assignment attached below which should be completed by 3/3/17. Here's the Excel Spreadsheet similar to what is used in the video:

Gantt Chart for YouTube Example - Complete.xlsx

(12.88 KiB) Downloaded 179 times

How to estimate completion time:
When estimating completion times, the weighted average formula Ta = (a + 4m + b)/6 is sometimes used.
where:
Ta = the actual time estimate you will use
a = the most optimistic estimate
b = the most pessimistic estimate
m = the most realistic estimate

Example: If the most optimistic estimate is 1 hour (a = 1), the most pessimistic estimate is 8 hours (b = 8) and the most realistic estimate is 4 hours (m=4), then the best time estimate (Ta) would be:
Ta=(1+4*4+8)/6=(1+16+8)/6=25/6= 4.17 hours or 4 hours & 10 minutes.
When using this formula, all estimates must be in the same units (minutes or hours or days).

Here are a couple examples of scheduling software MS Project Pro for Office 365 and jxProject. jxProject is a freeware program available for Windows, Linux & Mac operating systems. It's not as feature rich as MSProject, but it is free. (MS Project Pro has a monthly cost of $30/month per user, but requires MIcrosoft Office which is $6/month per user. Microsoft is moving away from their "one time purchase" options for software.)



YouTube Video on MS Project Training

Some additional training info to be added soon.

In addition here's a link to 6 other "open source" Project Management Software programs.

In next week's class we'll introduce some "cloud based" solutions in our discussion of Online Collaboration.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT:

The assignment below should be completed & all work submitted by Friday, March 3, 2017..

1.) Follow the YouTube Video link "How to Create a Gantt Chart in Excel" above and recreate the Gantt chart as done on the video. Your finished file should look similar to this:

Gantt Chart Spreadsheet for YouTube Example.xlsx

(9.86 KiB) Downloaded 153 times

2.) Create your own Gantt chart using the technique presented in the video above for a scheduling process with which you are familiar. It should have about 8-12 steps in the process.

3.) Using the Gantt Chart created in step 2, recreate the chart using MSProject .

4.) When you are done with the Gantt Charts created in steps 2 (& 3), create a printout of each file with your name on each sheet (electronically, not hand-written) and submit the hard copy to your instructor. (NOTE: If you need to create a pdf from any Windows program, download and install BullZip. This program will then appear to be a "printer" in your available printers list. When you select it and print, it will print a pdf file to the location you specify. I use this to create all of my Windows pdf files.) Then e-mail each file to your professor. Your e-mail should contain two files for each Gantt Chart. One file should be in the native program format (Excel and Project) and then you should create and include a pdf of each sheet as well. So your e-mail should have 4 files attached.

5.) When you have completed the assignment, post a "Reply" to this post stating that you have completed the assignment.

[jariopelle]

I have completed the assignment.

[arbeben0001]

Completed

[Dswaldron]

completed

[bemmonds]

Completed

[kakerr0001]

Kevin Kerr completed week #4