Getting Started

In Chapter 2 we used the Branch Office Training (BOT) project to discuss the components of project design. For our purposes in this chapter, let’s assume that the BOT project has been approved, tasks and task durations have been entered in Microsoft Project, resources have been assigned, a budget prepared and adopted, and the project schedule finalized. The Project Gantt chart for the BOT project is shown in Figure 3.1.

As the implementation phase begins, the project manager’s focus changes from planning and design to monitoring and tracking. Six primary responsibilities fall directly on the shoulders of the project manager:

  • Supervising and encouraging members of the project team

  • Discerning the current status of project work

  • Comparing the current status to the project schedule

  • Assessing project quality

  • Resolving problems and implementing opportunities

  • Reporting to team members and stakeholders

    click to expand
    Figure 3.1: Project’s Gantt Chart view of the BOT project.

While project team members are involved in specific tasks, the project manager is responsible for all project tasks. Monitoring and tracking project activities help the project manager see the entire expanse of the project in a way that no task-oriented team member can. Successful monitoring and tracking help the manager quickly address problems as well as take advantage of opportunities to improve performance.

When a well designed project succeeds, these tasks have been performed well—or at least well enough to keep the project on track. When a well designed project fails during implementation, one or more of these tasks have been ignored or given short shrift. It’s important to note that the assessment, analysis, and one-to-one communication skills required in this stage of the project life cycle are often different from the skills that were required to design, develop, and promote the project.



Mastering Microsoft Project 2002
Mastering Microsoft Project 2002
ISBN: 0782141471
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 241

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