project management software training

The pert Chart.
The pert chart, or activity network, details the activities needed, their start and finish dates and the time necessary for their completion. It is developed from the product flow diagram by examining the tasks, and their inter-dependencies, that are required to produce the products. The resources required to complete each product should be identified in parallel to the evolution of the complete set of products and the PERT chart should be updated to reflect these. This is normally done by linking the task identifier to those resources required. These will include staff and all other resources - such as computer time, purchase or hire of equipment, materials, project management software training, etcetera. Care should be taken to ensure that all testing and quality review activities are also included.

Planning and the WBS.
Effective project planning requires that the effort required is quantified, that this effort is assigned to some identified resource, and that both a schedule and a budget are created to carry out the work. The preparation of the project plan is the responsibility of the project manager, who should structure the work into small elements that are manageable, independent and measurable. It is the idea of making these elements independent, but able to be integrated, that requires careful consideration in the planning phase. The creation of the work breakdown structure should be one of the first steps in the planning process, once the requirements specification for the project has been written. The work breakdown structure should reflect the way the work will be performed and the way in which project costs and data will be summarized and reported. The work breakdown structure provides the framework on which costs, time and schedule performance can be compared against the budget - for each level of the work breakdown structure. The work breakdown structure enables the work to be broken down into smaller elements and this should result in the identification of all the major and minor activities required by the project. Many organizations use work breakdown structures in a standardized form, and this screen depicts a five-level indentured structure - which is a commonly used format for this diagram. Project management software training should be given to any staff who are using project planning software to draw and manipulate project management diagrams and data.

WBS at Appropriate Detail.
The work breakdown structure is a product-oriented subdivision of all of the resources, including hardware, services and data that are required to deliver the required
end-product. A project may consist of sub-projects which are in turn made up of tasks, sub-tasks and work packages. Projects are sub-divided in this way for one principal reason - ease of control. Having sub-divided the project, in order to devise a suitably detailed work breakdown structure, the project manager will then need to act as the integrator to ensure the practical and timely delivery of the various work elements required. The work breakdown structure should be designed and developed carefully as it will typically form the basis for a variety of other aspects of the project environment - for example : project costing, the validation of organizational responsibilities, risk analysis, the coordination of objectives and project control. Project managers normally manage at the top three levels of the work breakdown structure and also provide management reports at this level. Some organizations have attempted to standardize management reports by imposing a generic structure to the top three levels of the structure diagram across all projects. This approach may work in cases where an organization runs a large number of very similar projects - but it is not well suited to the majority of organizations - that run a variety of projects that differ fundamentally in some way.

Supporting Management Decisions.
The work breakdown structure typically supports different types of managerial actions at different levels. For example the authorization and release of work is generally carried out at level 1, budgets are normally prepared at level 2 and schedules at level 3. Other characteristics that can normally be applied to different levels of the work breakdown structure include: The top three levels reflect project-wide efforts and should not be related to specific departments, whose efforts should be addressed at lower levels. Each element of work should be assigned to only one level of effort. At the lowest levels the work packages should be identifiable and homogeneous. The work breakdown structure should be accompanied by a description of the scope of effort required. It may be advisable for the project manager to liaise with the relevant line managers in determining the details pertaining to the effort that is required - they are often ideally placed to assist in this.

Work Package.
The term work package is a generic name for a low-level task or job assignment - it describes a discrete piece of work and facilitates the monitoring and reporting of work in progress. Different industries and organizations have a variety of strangely named documents for authorizing and assigning work. However, whatever it is called, the work package is the critical component that facilitates management of the work breakdown structure. Work packages should be natural subdivisions of effort planned according to the way the work will be carried out. It is quite common for them to be supervised and performed by the line managers - who will then report to the project manager at a higher level of the work breakdown structure. Work packages should also form natural sub-divisions of cost accounts and are therefore usually the basic building blocks used in planning, controlling and measuring performance as the projects progresses. Work packages may be supported by additional documentation, which is generically termed a work package description to ensure that those carrying out, supervising and monitoring the work in progress are clear about exactly what is intended.

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