MS Project

Project planning is a crucial step to developing and successfully implementing any project. Without proper planning, the project can never be fully realized or brought to life. Every great business and technical achievement that one can think of involved planning of some sort. These days, the importance of project planning has been realized to the degree that many firms have been created to do only that. They utilize software such as Microsoft Project to help keep their client’s projects organized an on schedule (Srikanth).

MS project is a scheduling program with great power. It can help keep tasks assigned and organized while corresponding to a dated schedule. It offers the ability to utilize Gantt charts and earned value calculations. MS Project also has features such as multiple project scheduling, a project calendar, a resource calendar, resource leveling, resource reloading, and project tracking. (Weaver) It can be used to not only track a project, but also can be used to build networks, used in probabilistic networks, and used to calculate critical paths, time, and slack. (Mantel 297)

“Over the years, Microsoft Office Project has become a leading project management tool for people who want to make an impact at work by being able to better plan, manage, and communicate project information” (Top 10). Microsoft lists the top ten reasons why MS Project is such. The reasons include that MS Project provides “realistic estimating and scheduling.” It includes tools to help with “guided planning and management” and “timely project reporting and tracking.” With MS Project “you can easily assign resources to tasks and adjust how they are assigned to resolve conflicts and over allocations.” It offers “effective presentation” and “seamless data integration” while still maintaining its usability. Help is available upon command as well as the ability to customize the features to fit individual needs. One of the best things about MS Project is that it also has a large “community of users and solution providers.” (Top 10)

MS Project can be used at a simple level or for a complex purpose. It has enough features that both users would be satisfied. Some may wish to simply use the software for basic scheduling whereas others may choose to use it for tracking and calculating. To assist users that wish to utilize some of the more powerful attributes of the software there are many tutorial websites on the Internet that are available for assistance. Even at www.microsoft.com/project/ there are links to many official tutorials as well.

Project Management Practice, Inc. is a Microsoft Certified Partner (MS Project Server). They are a third party company that specializes in project planning and implementation. On their implementation support webpage they list some attributes of their “Implementation Framework.” Some of the key points include:
· Defines requirements and design system
· Prototype system
· Test and refine system
· Training and knowledge transfer
· Coaching and support. (MS Project Server)
Companies such as this can be easily found and used by other businesses that have a large project that they need to implement as efficiently as possible. It can be wise to seek assistance from a specialist when results are on the line. Many companies will go as far as training their customer’s employees on how to use MS Project to using MS Project themselves to serve the client. (Project Companion) It can be clearly seen that MS Project is viewed as the key to planning and implementing any successful project.

Although MS Project is very good software, there are alternatives to those that cannot afford the cost or wish to utilize software from a manufacturer other than Microsoft. One instance can be found in a German company called BRainTool Software GmbH. This company has recently created an updated version of its A-Plan 2004 now available in an English version. This software does many of the same features as MS Project and could possibly be better for some users. The creators claim that A-Plan 2004 is “innovative, flexible, and easy to use” (A-Plan). They offer a free evaluation version and the single user license is only 172 Euros. (A-Plan)

MS Project is very powerful software that can be used to help anyone with their daily scheduling needs. It is flexible and powerful enough that even large corporations use it regularly to help carry out their projects. (MS Project Tutorials) While project planning has been happening for hundreds of years, the newest software brings it to the next level. Project management is a business in itself and PM software is becoming more and more important each day.


Works Cited

A-Plan 2004. Brain Tool Software: n. pag. Online. Internet. 26 February 2005. Available:
http://www.braintool.com/engl/index.html

Mantel, Samuel J. Core Concepts: Project Management in Practice. Ed. 2. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2005. Pag. 297.

“MS Project Server- Implementation Support”. Project Management Practice Inc.: n. pag. online. Internet. 26 February 2005. Available:
http://www.pmpractice.com/2002%20implementation.htm

MS Project Tutorial Notes. “Why bother with MS Project?” 2001.
http://www.cse.dmu.ac.uk/~pw/comp2001/MSPtut.htm

Project Companion. “Project Companion – helping users around the world get more from Microsoft Project.” 2005.
http://www.projectlearning.net/project_companion.htm

Srikanth, Arjana. “MS Project 2000 Tutorial: Introduction.” 2004.
http://www.stylusinc.net/ms_project_tutorial/project_management.shtml

“Top 10 Reasons to Use Project Standard 2003”. Microsoft.com: n. pag. Online. Internet. 26 February 2005. Available:
http://www.microsoft.com/office/project/prodinfo/standard/top10.mspx

Weaver, David. “Microsoft Project Student Tutorial.” 2004.
http://www.lf.psu.edu/lf/msproject/contents.htm.