Week #4: Scheduling & Gantt Charts, Software. HW Assignment

[rjagodowski]

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. (NOTE: Some links haven't been tested to see if they're sill valid from last year. Please let me know if you find a dead link! Thank you. )

Short YouTube Introductory Videos on:
Gantt Charts (1:42)
PERT Charts (1:39)


Here's a good intro on How to Create A Project Management Schedule. And there's this similar one on How to Build A Project Schedule in 5 Easy Steps.

Here's some background links project management scheduling. You will have to Register on their website to access some of the links below. I'd recommend using your STCC address for registrations to websites with technical content.

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 162 times

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

Microsoft has a downloadable template to allow MS Excel to create a simple Gantt Chart.
Gantt Project Planner Template from Microsoft. Here's the direct download file:

tf02887601.xltx

(13.47 KiB) Downloaded 184 times

Here is a link to a Step by Step Tutorial for Making a Gantt Chart in Excel. This company has a free template download as well as a couple of pay options as well. If you find their product useful to you, please consider purchasing to unlock even more features. Here is the link to Compare Features & Download. They've made the download a bit more complicated over the years, so it's probably just easier to download the file here:

Gantt_Chart_Excel_Template.xlsm

(636.32 KiB) Downloaded 27 times

NOTE: This content is from previous semesters, but I kept it here for your reference. You DO NOT NEED it for this semester, but you might find it useful for the assignment below. It is a method to create a Gantt chart using Excel, but the methods which use a Template are generally easier to implement. 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 3/9/23. The blank and completed Excel Spreadsheet for this video can be found here:

Gantt Chart Spreadsheet for YouTube Example.xlsx

Blank Gantt Chart Spreadsheet

(9.86 KiB) Downloaded 176 times

Gantt Chart for YouTube Example - Complete.xlsx

Completed Gantt Chart Spreadsheet

(12.88 KiB) Downloaded 186 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. (Pricing may not be accurate, but MS Project Pro had 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.)

MS Project Training Videos & Links

YouTube Video on MS Project 2016 Training (15:32)

YouTube Video on MS Project 2023 Training (12:20)



Here's a link to Lynda.com. This is a website which provides training videos & projects on a wide variety of software. You can purchase monthly access which includes sample files, so you can work through the exact same problems presented in the video. Once you become a member, you have access to ALL of the content available on the website while your membership is active.

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 on or before 5:00PM Thursday, March 23, 2023. (NOTE: The original deadline of 3/9/23 has been extended due to the delay in having MS Project installed on our computers. You should still be working on the other parts of the assignment.)

Create a Gantt Chart in Excel:

You can either use the Gantt Chart Template above from Microsoft or the process shown in the YouTube Video to create your Excel Gantt chart.

1.) Create your own Excel Gantt chart using whichever technique you prefer for a scheduling process with which you are familiar. It should have about 8-12 steps in the process. You may find it convenient to plan the process with paper and pencil first to get the steps and sequence correct, then use Excel.

2.) Using the Gantt Chart created in step 1, recreate the chart using MSProject . MSProject will soon be loaded on the computers in 17/501.

3.) When you are done with the Gantt Charts created in steps 1 & 2, create a printout of each file with your name on each sheet (electronically, not hand-written) and submit the hard copy to your instructor. MicroSoft Office allows for any of it's files to exported as a pdf through the PRINT options. (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 MSProject) and then you should create and include a pdf of each sheet as well. So your e-mail should have 4 files attached.

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

[jrvicenty2101]

Completed the Assignment

[hnle]

I have completed the assignment.

[edmedina0001]

I have completed the assignment.