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Course Description

This intensive five-day program is designed for experienced Microsoft Project users who wish to master advanced functionalities for planning, scheduling, resource management, and reporting on complex projects. Participants will delve into sophisticated techniques for creating detailed project plans, optimizing resource allocation, tracking progress effectively, and generating insightful reports for stakeholders.

Course Objectives

  • Develop and manage highly detailed and accurate project schedules using advanced Microsoft Project features.
  • Effectively manage and optimize resource assignments across multiple projects and resources.
  • Implement custom fields, formulas, and visual indicators to enhance project data analysis.
  • Apply earned value management techniques for comprehensive project performance tracking.
  • Master advanced reporting tools and create custom reports for diverse stakeholder needs.
  • Manage dependencies and relationships in complex multi-project environments.
  • Troubleshoot scheduling issues and resolve resource conflicts efficiently.
  • Utilize baselines and progress lines for accurate project monitoring and control.
  • Integrate Microsoft Project with other applications for improved data flow.
  • Apply best practices for project plan maintenance and stakeholder communication.
  • Customize the Microsoft Project environment to suit specific organizational requirements.
  • Perform what-if analysis and risk assessment within the project schedule.
  • Prepare project data for effective presentation and decision-making.

Who Should Attend?

This course is specifically designed for experienced project managers, project planners, schedulers, program managers, project controllers, and other professionals who are already proficient in the basic and intermediate functionalities of Microsoft Project and are looking to enhance their skills to manage more complex projects and portfolios. It is ideal for individuals responsible for large-scale projects, multiple projects, or those requiring in-depth analysis and reporting capabilities.

Course Agenda

Day 1: Advanced Scheduling and Task Management

  • Review of core scheduling concepts and best practices.
  • Working with advanced task types: recurring tasks, hammock tasks.
  • Understanding and manipulating task dependencies: lead, lag, and custom links.
  • Using constraints and deadlines effectively.
  • Managing calendars: project, resource, and task calendars
  • Creating and managing detailed Work Breakdown Structures (WBS).
  • Critical path analysis and optimizing project duration.
  • Workshop: Building a complex project schedule with advanced dependencies

Day 2: Advanced Resource Management and Optimization

  • Setting up and managing detailed resource information: costs, availability, work calendars.
  • Resource leveling techniques: manual, automatic, and selective leveling.
  • Addressing resource over-allocations and under-allocations.
  • Assigning resources to tasks: effort-driven vs. fixed duration tasks.
  • Understanding and applying different assignment units.
  • Resource pools and sharing resources across multiple projects.
  • Analyzing resource usage and capacity planning.
  • Practical exercise: Optimizing resource allocation for a challenging project.

Day 3: Customization, Tracking, and Baselines

  • Creating and utilizing custom fields: text, number, date, flag, outline code, formula.
  • Writing formulas for calculated custom fields.
  • Applying graphical indicators to custom fields.
  • Establishing and updating baselines for performance measurement.
  • Tracking project progress: actuals, remaining work, percentage complete.
  • Setting up and using progress lines.
  • Troubleshooting common tracking issues.
  • Laboratory session: Customizing views and tracking a project's actual progress.

Day 4: Earned Value Management and Advanced Analysis

  • Introduction to Earned Value Management (EVM) principles.
  • Setting up EVM in Microsoft Project.
  • Calculating and interpreting EVM metrics: BCWS, BCWP, ACWP, SV, CV, SPI, CPI.
  • Forecasting project performance: EAC, ETC, VAC.
  • Analyzing variances and making corrective actions.
  • Using WBS and custom fields for cost control and analysis.
  • Performing "What-If" analysis and scenario planning.
  • Hands-on practice: Applying EVM to a project and interpreting results.

  • Day 5: Multi-Project Management, Reporting, and Best Practices
  • Managing master projects and subprojects.
  • Cross-project dependencies and critical path.
  • Consolidating projects and resource pools for portfolio management.
  • Creating advanced visual reports and dashboards.
  • Exporting project data to Excel, Visio, and other applications.
  • Customizing the Microsoft Project ribbon and views.
  • Collaboration and sharing project information.
  • Best practices for project planning, control, and maintenance in Microsoft Project.
  • Final assessment: Comprehensive case study involving advanced features and reporting.

Day 5: Multi-Project Management, Reporting, and Best Practices

  • Managing master projects and subprojects.
  • Cross-project dependencies and critical path.
  • Consolidating projects and resource pools for portfolio management.
  • Creating advanced visual reports and dashboards.
  • Exporting project data to Excel, Visio, and other applications.
  • Customizing the Microsoft Project ribbon and views.
  • Collaboration and sharing project information.
  • Best practices for project planning, control, and maintenance in Microsoft Project.
  • Final assessment: Comprehensive case study involving advanced features and reporting.

Assessment Methodology

All courses conducted by EdTech will begin with a Pre-evaluation and end with a Post-evaluation. The instructor will evaluate the knowledge and skills of the participants according to the feedback given by participants. This will help to recognize the benefits and the level of knowledge gained by participants through the course.

Training Methodology

Facilitated by a highly qualified specialist, who has extensive knowledge and experience; this program will be conducted using extensively interactive methods, encouraging participants to share their own experiences and apply the program material to real-life work situations in order to stimulate group discussions and improve the efficiency of the subject coverage.

Percentages of the total course hour classification are:

  • ​40% Theoretical lectures, Concepts and approach
  • 20% Motivation to develop individual skill and Techniques
  • 20% Case Studies and Practical Exercises
  • 20% Topic General Discussions and interaction

Course Manual

Participants will be provided with comprehensive presentation material as reference manual. This presentation material is a compilation of core valuable information, references, presentation methods and inspiring reading which will be used as a part of the material guide.

Course Certificate

At the completion of the course, all participants who successfully accomplished the required contact hours will receive an EdTech Training Participation Certificate as a testimony to their commitment to professional development and further education.

Why Edtech ?

  • Industry Experienced; Internationally Qualified Trainers
  • Hands-on Practical Sessions & Assignments
  • Intensive Study materials
  • Flexible Schedules
  • Realistic training methodology
  • High-Quality Training in Affordable Course Fees
  • Achievement Certificate, as approved by the Ministry of Education (Abu Dhabi Center for Technical and Vocational Education Training - ACTVET), HABC, AWS, IAOSHE, SHRM, etc.