Assessment Description

It is important for project management professionals to be able to review numbers and report on what they are saying. It is also important for you, as a project manager, to be able to use software that helps you keep timelines and projects running on time and smoothly. This assignment will continue to help prepare you for your responsibilities.

As the project manager, you have been asked to create an initial project schedule for a project known as the Technology Refresh Project introduced in Topic 1. The prior project manager assembled the project information and put it onto a spreadsheet. Based on this information, you are to create an initial project schedule using Microsoft Project.

Open the attached document "Project Durations and WBS Template." In this Microsoft Excel workbook file, you will notice a series of project tasks; optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic durations for each lowest-level task; and predecessor information. It is already decomposed into a logical Work Breakdown Structure.Do not alter this information.

In the "PERT Expected Duration (days)" column, calculate the PERT Expected Duration for each lowest-level task. Round the duration entries to the nearest integer.

Create a new MPP file (i.e., a Microsoft Project file). Enter the tasks shown in the "Project Durations and WBS Template" into the "Initial Project Schedule" (i.e., Microsoft Project file) you are creating.

Based on the task hierarchy in the "Project Durations and WBS Template" file, demote the appropriate tasks using the green indent and outdent arrows in the TASK Ribbon, SCHEDULE group. Notice how the WBS field is automatically updated as tasks are indented and outdented. Be sure that your Microsoft Project task hierarchy exactly matches the task hierarchy in the "Project Durations and WBS Template."

Based on your computed PERT Expected Durations from above, enter these durations in the "Duration" field in the Microsoft Project file. Note the following:

1. Be sure that you do not directly enter durations into Microsoft Project summary tasks (i.e., the bold tasks). Note that the Microsoft Project summary task durations and dates are automatically updated as durations are entered into the lowest level tasks.
2. Be sure that lowest level task durations are entered as whole numbers.

Based on the predecessor information in "Project Durations and WBS Template," update the "Predecessor" column in "Initial Project Schedule." Note the following:

1. The "Successor" column updates automatically, as predecessors are entered. Thus, there is no need to enter any information in the Successor column.
2. Be sure that the summary tasks (i.e., the bold tasks) do not contain predecessors or successors. Predecessors and successors are only entered at the lowest level task level.
3. Ensure that lowest level tasks have at least one predecessor (except the first task) and at least one successor (except the last task).

Display the critical path. Go to the FORMAT ribbon and check the "Critical Tasks" box in the BAR STYLES group. Note that the critical path task bars will turn red. Also, take note that the Total Slack column contains 0 days for the critical path tasks.

Submit the following completed files in a single zip folder, ensuring your last name is included inboth filenames:

• "Project Durations and WBS Template" (i.e., MS Excel file)
• "Initial Project Schedule" (i.e., created MS Project file)

APA style is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are not required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.