I'm setting-up a new project plan in MIcrosoft project and I wanted to get some guidance/expertise on how to best represent the information. The two main concerns I have is, how to represent the hiring of contractors & how to represent the ordering of servers and the sub tasks associated with it. They don't seem to really fit anywhere. We are creating a new website and there are many different moving pieces. I'm not sure where to put those. Does the usual methodology (analysis, design dev....) apply here, or should I break it out in a different way? Saving Changes...
Good afternoon, in these types of situations I have just added a sum tasks called Hire Resources and Buy Servers and placed the sub tasks in the appropriate order.
Don’t get too caught up about where the sum tasks are in the plan, add the dependencies as required to phases you may have. Tracking progress of the hiring and the buying in relation to the dependencies is the main function you are looking for.
Hi. Tasks like contractor/ sub-contractor hiring and aquiring hardware are sort of common place in IT projects. These tasks, however, do not follow usual methodology like design, etc. I have attached a sample project plan showing the high level activities for hardware aquisition. A similar listing of the tasks for contractor hiring can also be listed down in the project plan. Ideally, these tasks appear in the project plan based on the dependencies of the rest of the tasks on these.
Hope this helps. Saving Changes...
Richard HowProgramme Management Consultant| How Associates LtdHarthill, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Susan, I may be wrong but I believe your are confusing project lifecycle stages (analysis, design, dev etc) with the need to hire staff or buy servers. The tasks for the project lifecycle should follow the correct order but the tasks relating to hardware purchase, staff hiring etc should be added to the timeline based on when they need to be done not slotted into specific phases of the project. If I am completely missunderstanding what you are saying please accept my apologies.
Saving Changes...
Hi again Susan. Work backwards from your deliverables. You need the activities that result in the hardware being on your raised floor. If you need contractors, are there hiring processes that have to be followed? What are the steps? Who does it? Procurement? HR? Assign it to them and hold their toes to the fire to deliver.
Only track what you have to - if you can use another department's process - log it in the plan as a deliverable with a milestone - and make sure they understand what's needed.
Keep it simple. Work back form being all done - understanding what it is you're trying to deliver will give you insight into what the overall plan will look like.
Start with - "New Web Enablement project" - what is being delivered? By whom? When? DO we have staff on board or do we have to outsource? etc.... the answers will tell you which way to go. Saving Changes...
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