MS Project 2013 Fast Track for Managing Projects

Overview:

Introduction:

MS Project 2013 is a powerful project management tool designed to help professionals efficiently plan, track, and control projects. It enables project managers to create detailed schedules, allocate resources, monitor progress, and optimize project performance. This training program provides a structured approach to mastering MS Project 2013, focusing on essential project planning, scheduling, resource allocation, and reporting techniques. Participants will gain full insight into using MS Project to enhance project efficiency and decision-making.

Program Objectives:

At the end of this program, participants will be able to:

• Utilize MS Project 2013 for project planning, scheduling, and resource management.

• Develop work breakdown structures and use scheduling methodologies.

• Allocate resources effectively and manage project costs efficiently.

• Track project performance using built-in reporting tools.

• Identify and resolve scheduling and resource conflicts to ensure project success.

Targeted Audience:

• Project Managers and Team Leaders.

• Project Coordinators and Schedulers.

• Business Analysts involved in project planning.

• Engineers and IT Professionals managing complex projects.

• Employees responsible for tracking project progress and deliverables.

Program Outline:

Unit 1:

Essentials of Project Management:

• Definition and importance of project management.

• Project life cycle and key phases.

• Work breakdown structure (WBS) fundamentals.

• Characteristics of effective project management.

• Time management principles and schedule development.

• Gantt chart as a scheduling and visualization tool.

Unit 2:

MS Project Essentials and Scheduling Basics:

• Introduction to MS Project 2013 and its interface.

• Frameworks for setting up a project, including naming, scheduling methods, and start/end dates.

• How to configure calendars, work hours, and project constraints.

• Manual vs automatic scheduling, when and how to use them.

• Key activities used for creating and structuring the WBS in MS Project.

Unit 3:

Task Management and Resource Allocation:

• Methods of creating project tasks and defining dependencies.

• Methods of sequencing tasks and identifying critical paths.

• How to assign and manage project resources.

• Importance of adjusting resource workloads to prevent over-allocation.

Unit 4:

Resource Optimization and Cost Management:

• Tools for identifying and resolving over-allocated resources.

• Manual vs automatic resource leveling techniques.

• Frameworks for setting up and managing scheduling constraints.

• Cost estimation and budget tracking methods within MS Project.

• How to maintain maintaining cost control.

Unit 5:

Project Performance Tracking and Reporting:

• Tools for monitoring project progress and identifying variances.

• How to use built-in reports for project performance analysis.

• Methods of customizing dashboards and visual reports.

• Key activities for managing project changes and risk mitigation.

• Frameworks for finalizing project schedules and closing projects efficiently.