Microsoft Project For Dummies

Blow past the jargon and get hands-on, practical guidance on managing any project with Microsoft Project  Lean. Agile. Hybrid. It seems that project management these days comes with more confusing buzzwords than ever. But you can make managing your next project simple and straightforward with help from Microsoft Project For Dummies.  This book unpacks Microsoft’s bestselling project management platform and walks you through every important feature, step-by-step, until you’re ready to take on virtually any project, no matter the size. From getting set up for the first time to creating tasks, managing resources and working with time management features, you’ll learn everything you need to know about managing a project in Microsoft’s iconic software.  You’ll also find:  Totally updated guidance that applies to both the desktop version and Microsoft’s new subscription-based Microsoft Project Online  Helpful information on integrating Agile practices and techniques into your project  “Golden rules” that keep a project on-track and on-time  Ways to effectively manage your resources with Microsoft Project’s built-in functionality  Managing a project, big or small, is no easy task. Luckily, Microsoft Project For Dummies can take a lot of the hassle out of your day-to-day life. Learn how to take advantage of this powerful software today!

Introduction 1 About This Book 1 What's Not in This Book 2 Foolish Assumptions 2 Icons Used in This Book 3 Beyond the Book 3 Where to Go from Here 4 Part 1: Getting Started with Project 5 Chapter 1: Project Management, MS Project, and You 7 Chapter 2: Starting the Project 23 Chapter 3: Becoming a Task Master 41 Chapter 4: The Codependent Nature of Tasks 55 Chapter 5: Estimating Task Time 67 Chapter 6: Check Out This View! 83 Part 2: Managing Resources 103 Chapter 7: Creating Resources 105 Chapter 8: Working with Calendars 121 Chapter 9: Assigning Resources 137 Chapter 10: Determining a Project's Cost 149 Part 3: Before You Baseline 159 Chapter 11: Fine-Tuning Your Plan 161 Chapter 12: Negotiating Project Constraints 175 Chapter 13: Making the Project Look Good 189 Chapter 14: It All Begins with a Baseline 207 Part 4: Staying on Track 217 Chapter 15: On the Right Track 219 Chapter 16: Project Views: Observing Progress 235 Chapter 17: You're Behind — Now What? 249 Chapter 18: Spreading the News: Reporting 265 Part 5: Working with Sprints Projects 285 Chapter 19: Setting Up a Sprints Project 287 Chapter 20: Tracking a Sprints Project 299 Chapter 21: Getting Better All the Time 307 Part 6: The Part of Tens 317 Chapter 22: Ten Golden Rules of Project Management 319 Chapter 23: Ten Cool Shortcuts in Project 327 Glossary 333 Index 341