Standard cycle of planning in Enterprise Project Management

[Leonid]

We are using Project Professional 2007 + Project Server 2007 in our company,
but now we've met too complicated way of our resource management. In order to
simplify it, I would like to better understand how environment of Project
Server 2007 considers the project planning cycle. Please consider own
business case and confirm whether proposed implementation of resource
management feature is ok.

=========
Business case description

Our project management is based on our own methodology (basing on PMBOK).
The standart lifecycle of projects is Initiation -> Planning -> Executing ->
Closing.

We have 1 resource pool (~20-30 people) which we want to plan. We consider
following 3 roles:
- Project Manager
Responsible for management of scope (define WBS), developing the basis for
the schedule (define links between tasks and determine duration of tasks)
- Resource Manager
Responsible for leveling resources and resource utilization
- Team member
Make work assigned

========================
Technical solution

We consider implementing following decision according to life-cycle of
project:
1. Project is authorized
======== Planning ======
2. Project Manager (PM) defines the basis of the project, including
preliminary scope, and role-based resources
3. PM creates the MS Project plan. PM puts the task “Develop the schedule of
project XXX / Phase YYY (if applicable)†to the schedule of the project and
save the project. PM uses role-based generic resources which must be already
included in Resource Pool by Resource Manager (RM)
4. RM checks the plan, change generic resources to specific, and level the
project if necessary. RM publishes the plan. This way RM approves the request
of PM for resources.
5. PM with team assigned develop the project scope (WBS), evaluate the work
necessary for each assignment, develop links between tasks. After this PM
saves this preliminary plan in MS Project.
6. RM checks the plan, if some generic resources are still used changes them
to specific, levels the resources taking into account other projects, and
publishes the plan.
====== Executing (and Monitoring) ======
7. Works are done according to the schedule published.
8. Each week (or other basis for tracking) RM republishes all projects which
includes work done this week.
9. If some changes in the schedule are necessary, we need to return on
planning (step 5 and 6)
====== Closing ======
10. PM uses the custom enterprise field "Open / In archive" to mark the
project as archived.
11. RM checks that all assignment are completed and republish project.

 

[Rod Gill]

HI,

I wouldn't expect Resource Managers to have scheduling skills. The RM role
is to allocate Resources to projects based on Project priorities and
available resources.
The PM should be told the hours per week they can have for each Resource.
The PM should then level resources and refine schedule as they know their
project's priorities and problems better than the RM.

--

Rod Gill
Microsoft MVP for Project

Author of the only book on Project VBA, see:
http://www.projectvbabook.com

We are using Project Professional 2007 + Project Server 2007 in our
company,
but now we've met too complicated way of our resource management. In order
to
simplify it, I would like to better understand how environment of Project
Server 2007 considers the project planning cycle. Please consider own
business case and confirm whether proposed implementation of resource
management feature is ok.

=========
Business case description

Our project management is based on our own methodology (basing on PMBOK).
The standart lifecycle of projects is Initiation -> Planning ->
Executing ->
Closing.

We have 1 resource pool (~20-30 people) which we want to plan. We consider
following 3 roles:
- Project Manager
Responsible for management of scope (define WBS), developing the basis for
the schedule (define links between tasks and determine duration of tasks)
- Resource Manager
Responsible for leveling resources and resource utilization
- Team member
Make work assigned

========================
Technical solution

We consider implementing following decision according to life-cycle of
project:
1. Project is authorized
======== Planning ======
2. Project Manager (PM) defines the basis of the project, including
preliminary scope, and role-based resources
3. PM creates the MS Project plan. PM puts the task “Develop the schedule
of
project XXX / Phase YYY (if applicable)†to the schedule of the project
and
save the project. PM uses role-based generic resources which must be
already
included in Resource Pool by Resource Manager (RM)
4. RM checks the plan, change generic resources to specific, and level the
project if necessary. RM publishes the plan. This way RM approves the
request
of PM for resources.
5. PM with team assigned develop the project scope (WBS), evaluate the
work
necessary for each assignment, develop links between tasks. After this PM
saves this preliminary plan in MS Project.
6. RM checks the plan, if some generic resources are still used changes
them
to specific, levels the resources taking into account other projects, and
publishes the plan.
====== Executing (and Monitoring) ======
7. Works are done according to the schedule published.
8. Each week (or other basis for tracking) RM republishes all projects
which
includes work done this week.
9. If some changes in the schedule are necessary, we need to return on
planning (step 5 and 6)
====== Closing ======
10. PM uses the custom enterprise field "Open / In archive" to mark the
project as archived.
11. RM checks that all assignment are completed and republish project.

__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
signature database 4656 (20091202) __________

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

http://www.eset.com

__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4656 (20091202) __________

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

http://www.eset.com

 

[Leonid]

It's a good idea, but in this case we would have following issues:
1) How RM should fix his commitments on resources? For example, RM gets the
request on Mr.X on 50% from December 3 to December 20. RM commits this
resources and probably uses his own system to store this commitment. Project
Server doesn't support double-layer system of commitments - for example that
RM provides the resources and then PM plans the project in these available
resources.

So this system now has additional information about resources, and someone
(RM probable) has an obligation to compare Project Resource Center and his
commitments.

2) "holes" in usage or resources. RM commits to give Mr.X on 50% from
December 3 to December 20. Then PM uses this resources, but really he doesn't
need all this availability, for example Mr.X will spend only 2 hours on the
project on December 10. This information is stored at Project Server, and so
RM should duplicate this information to his own system of tracking
commitments.

Really I like the idea that RM provides resources, and PM plans in this
availability. But the main difficulty here is that Project Server 2007
natively doesn't support this scenario. We use such system right now, and for
tracking commitment and resource requests we use Sharepoint lists (calendar
for existing usage of resources and list for requests from PMs to RM), but
this system has 2 problems described above.

Therefore I'm interested in this particular procedure of commiting resources
to the project. I have a good knowledge of MS Project/Project Server (MCTS
70-632;633 certified) but however I can't answer these questions.


Maybe it's possible to answer 2 following questions:
- What is the best practice for PM to request resources? Should this be done
in MS Project or outside?
- What is the best practice to RM to commit the resources to the project?

 

[Rod Gill]

If only this process had to happen once! In many organisations, project
priority changes weekly: high priority projects run late and steal resources
from other projects etc. Most projects regularly need re-scheduling and only
one person should manage that re-scheduling, ideally the PM. Otherwise it's
very hard for the PM to maintain a picture of exactly what should happen
when.

The schedule provides the need, but the RM needs to provide "this is what
you can have". Unfortunately Project Server has a problem here (we've been
asking for a fix for two or more versions). Each Resource can only have a
Max Units across all projects. MVPs have asked for Max Units to be for
individual projects and editable on a Usage View. That way RMs can set and
easily change what hours per week are available for the PM to level to.

Availability can be set, but as a table its not quick and easy to edit to a
fine level of detail, and again the availability is across all projects.

In the mean time you do need something of a manual process to work around
this.

--

Rod Gill
Microsoft MVP for Project

Author of the only book on Project VBA, see:
http://www.projectvbabook.com

It's a good idea, but in this case we would have following issues:
1) How RM should fix his commitments on resources? For example, RM gets
the
request on Mr.X on 50% from December 3 to December 20. RM commits this
resources and probably uses his own system to store this commitment.
Project
Server doesn't support double-layer system of commitments - for example
that
RM provides the resources and then PM plans the project in these available
resources.

So this system now has additional information about resources, and someone
(RM probable) has an obligation to compare Project Resource Center and his
commitments.

2) "holes" in usage or resources. RM commits to give Mr.X on 50% from
December 3 to December 20. Then PM uses this resources, but really he
doesn't
need all this availability, for example Mr.X will spend only 2 hours on
the
project on December 10. This information is stored at Project Server, and
so
RM should duplicate this information to his own system of tracking
commitments.

Really I like the idea that RM provides resources, and PM plans in this
availability. But the main difficulty here is that Project Server 2007
natively doesn't support this scenario. We use such system right now, and
for
tracking commitment and resource requests we use Sharepoint lists
(calendar
for existing usage of resources and list for requests from PMs to RM), but
this system has 2 problems described above.

Therefore I'm interested in this particular procedure of commiting
resources
to the project. I have a good knowledge of MS Project/Project Server (MCTS
70-632;633 certified) but however I can't answer these questions.


Maybe it's possible to answer 2 following questions:
- What is the best practice for PM to request resources? Should this be
done
in MS Project or outside?
- What is the best practice to RM to commit the resources to the project?





__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
signature database 4658 (20091203) __________

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

http://www.eset.com

__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4658 (20091203) __________

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

http://www.eset.com

 

[Leonid]

Thanks - it's exactly the answered needed)

Does Microsoft Project Server 2010 correct this problem? Is any sense to
upgrade from Project Server 2007 to Project Server 2010 to improve this
technical opportunity for resource management?

Best regards,
Leonid