Project Scheduling with

GanttProject
EGR 386w

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GanttProject

 http://www.ganttproject.biz/
 Download version 2.6.x
 Has numbered tasks option
 The video (access from ganttproject.biz)
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rHCSa5ad34&feature=youtu.be

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GanttProject Pros

 Easy outlining of tasks

 Resource management
 Accuracy: baseline vs. actual; various
calculations
 Easy charting and graphics

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GanttProject Cons

 Illusion of control
 Scaling

 No estimation features

Remember:
 Being a Gantt Project expert does not
 make you an expert project manager!
 No more so than knowing MS-Word makes you a
good writer.

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The GanttProject Process

1. Move WBS into a Project outline (in Task

Sheet)
2. Establish dependencies
3. Add resources (team members or roles)
4. Assign resources to tasks
5. Refine and optimize
6. Create baseline
7. Track progress (enter actuals, etc.)

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Project Overview
 GanttProject User Interface (UI)
 Create a Project
 Add duration to the task sheet
 Create WBS
 Add task dependencies
 Add resources
 Assign resources to tasks
 Check Resource allocation
 Resolve resource allocation problems
 Effort-driven scheduling
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GanttProject UI
 Views
Task Sheet Gantt Chart
 Default is
Gant Chart View
 2 panes
 Task Sheet
on left (a table)
 Gantt Chart
on right
 Panels: Gantt,
Resources Chart

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 Gantt Project UI Critical Path
Tool Icons

Time Scale

Panels Task

Outline Dependency
Buttons

(un)link
Buttons

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Setting up Resource Roles
 AFTER you set up your
project, you can dive
back in and set up
“roles”
 i.e., Jobs for the
team members that
are associated with
tasks
 Example:
Structural Analyst,
Presentation
coordinator, etc.

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 Adding columns to the Task Sheet

You can drag the columns to a different

location—recommend to put Outline
numbers at left.

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Entering WBS

 Outlining
 Sub-tasks and summary tasks
 Do not enter start/end dates for each
 Just start with Task Name and Duration for each
 Use Indent/Outdent buttons to define summary tasks
 and subtasks
 You can enter specific Start/End dates but don’t most of
the time
 To enter Milestones use check in Task Properties
 (alt+return)

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Sample WBS – Software design project
Task Name Duration
1.0 Requirement Analysis 9
1.1 User interviews 2
1.2 Interview analysis 2
1.3 GUI mock up design 4
1.4 Validation of mockup with users 2
1.5 Writing User Requirements 2
1.6 User Requirements Review Meeting MS

“MS”  Milestone

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Enter WBS Tasks

Entering WBS tasks, tips:

First, just enter all tasks and subtasks in
order—all are same level
Next, <Ctrl-click> each subtask and indent
with the right arrow icon
Lastly (for this part), select each task and then
<alt-Enter> to access properties.

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Enter tasks—several ways.
Right click in task panel is
easiest to remember

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Select the tasks and indent—makes
them subsets of the task not indented
above them. <Tab> also indents selected
task(s)

Notice how Outline numbers

are renumbered.

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Select each subtask and add General
Information

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Select each subtask and add General
Information
Did all the dates in PAST (2012).
Should do this for Present to FUTURE.

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How to establish Milestone

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How to establish Milestone

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Add task dependencies

 Above task Panel: Link & Unlink buttons

 Good for many at once
 Or via Gantt chart
 Drag from one task to another
 Note: you can ‘scroll in’ and ‘scroll out’ to zoom on the
timeline, making the tasks more accessible

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 Add task dependencies—one at a time

Drag from
predecessor…

…and Drop to successor.

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Add task dependencies—all at once

Ctrl-click the top

predecessor and all its
successors (assumed
below it)…

…select dependency icon (chain link)

to set dependencies.

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Change Dependency Type
 Default dependency relationship type is Finish-to-Start
 Can be changed through Predecessor Panel in Task
Properties
 For instance “interview analysis” and “mock up design”
should start together  “Start-Start”

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Task Dependency Relationships

 Finish-to-Start (FS)
 B cannot start till A finishes
 A: Construct fence; B: Paint Fence
 Start-to-Start (SS)
 B cannot start till A starts
 A: Pour foundation; B: Level concrete
 Finish-to-Finish (FF)
 B cannot finish till A finishes
 A: Add wiring; B: Inspect electrical
 Start-to-Finish (SF)
 B cannot finish till A starts (rare)

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Change Dependency Type

 For instance, “validation of mockup” can only start if

both “interview analysis” and “GUI mock-up” are ready
 “validation of mockup” already set to start after “GUI mock-up” so
set as successor to “interview analysis” as well.

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Resources

 You need to first establish the roles in the

Resources Properties.
 Then, you can define the team members under
the Resources pane, and assign them those roles.

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Add Resources
 Use Resource Panel
You can add the
resource’s start date or
Days off, too. Makes a
difference when you
assign a task.

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WBS (already planned, more detail)

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Assign Resources to Tasks via the
Task Pane
 Highlight task, Properties Resources Panel

These are all that are added for the “User

Interviews” task—check your WBS to be sure
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After Resources established, check for
over-allocation
The default colors show different
types of loading (In menus,
Edit  Settings  Resource Chart

Smith is overloaded

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Resource over-allocation

 Expand Smith’s task list.

 Looks like Interview Analysis and GUI Mock Up
together take up too much of his time…

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Show Critical Path

 Where can you delay completion without

impacting the final end date?

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Show Critical Path

 The critical path tool is not very obvious here.

But we can see that the Task 1.2 duration
could be extended by 2 more days without
pushing the final milestone forward in time.

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Back to Bob Smith’s Over-allocation
 2 days * 100% = 2 person days
 That’s what we have now for him in the “Interview
Analysis” task 1.2, and he is overloaded
 But, we can stretch the end date for Task 1.2,
and still be on schedule.
 4 days * 50% = 2 person days
 We can stretch Task 1.2 to 4 days duration total
 Then reallocate Bob to 50% over those four days.
 This may solve our problem…

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Doing the change…

 Change Task 1.2 from 2 days

duration to 4 days duration.

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Doing the change…

 Now edit the Task 1.2 Resources tab, and

reduce Bob Smith’s allocation from 100% to
50% for this task.

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Check the Larger Resources Pane for
Allocations
 Bob Smith is now no longer overworked.

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Fully Expanded Resource Allocations

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“Baseline…”
 Saves all current information about your
project
 Dates, resource assignments, durations, costs
 Still have not figured out details on this one…

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Other

 You keep your progress updated in each task

 The best way—do it after each team meeting.
100%
completed

75% completed

25% completed

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Pert Charts

 Another way to view the tasks’ relationships

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