MS Project Courses
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Simon WhiteMember for 18 years 4 months
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Hi all, my first post here, and probably not my last!.
Basically I have been working alongside other planners for the most part and mainly setting up other reporting systems that the teams will use. So that data can be harvested, processed and stuck into all sorts of pretty graphs and reports/presentations.
I have a pretty good knowledge of most of the Microsoft packages, and have even ’tinkered’ with Project in my spare time. In the near future I will be actually handling projects myself and will need to also handle the Project side of things as well as the other spreadsheets. I have yet to actually plan a ’live’ project myself from scratch using MS Project, therefore I am looking to go on one of the courses available in the UK.
So what I am basically looking for is some freindly advise and an opinion or two. I am contemplating skipping the ’basic’ level packages as I fear itll emphasise too much on the basics of the programme. I dont want to spend 10 minutes listening about how to save a file!!. So I was personally looking at jumping in at the Intermediate level.
Is this wise? Is there alot of really valuable tips I would pick up from a basic package? Or is worth just going straight for an advanced course? Do the courses vary much from place to place?
Has anyone else recently gone on a course that they would recommend?
Thanks for any advise you may have.
Simon
Basically I have been working alongside other planners for the most part and mainly setting up other reporting systems that the teams will use. So that data can be harvested, processed and stuck into all sorts of pretty graphs and reports/presentations.
I have a pretty good knowledge of most of the Microsoft packages, and have even ’tinkered’ with Project in my spare time. In the near future I will be actually handling projects myself and will need to also handle the Project side of things as well as the other spreadsheets. I have yet to actually plan a ’live’ project myself from scratch using MS Project, therefore I am looking to go on one of the courses available in the UK.
So what I am basically looking for is some freindly advise and an opinion or two. I am contemplating skipping the ’basic’ level packages as I fear itll emphasise too much on the basics of the programme. I dont want to spend 10 minutes listening about how to save a file!!. So I was personally looking at jumping in at the Intermediate level.
Is this wise? Is there alot of really valuable tips I would pick up from a basic package? Or is worth just going straight for an advanced course? Do the courses vary much from place to place?
Has anyone else recently gone on a course that they would recommend?
Thanks for any advise you may have.
Simon
5 replies
Oldest first- 0Darren Kosa ·Hi Simon,
Although it uses ’Micrsoftisms’ which may be familiar, the meat of MS Project is unlike any of the other MS Office applications. Imagine trying to write a basic formula in Excel if you’ve only used Word.
Have a look at the syllabus that the training provider uses (most are available on-line), and see if your ’tinkering’ has given you enough of an understanding of the basic functions. If it has, then you should be able to pick-up what is on most of the intermediate courses that I’ve seen.
If you know some of them and think you have an idea for the rest, then get your hands on a reference book that has a trial copy of MS Project and work your way through what you don’t know (and also refresh what you also think you know).
However, there is a but, the very basis of how the MS Project scheduling engine calculates Work / Duration will only be taught on the basic course. If you don’t know about task types before you go on an intermediate course, then it will be a waste of time for you and probably affect the other students (which if they had to pay for the course themselves they won’t be too happy about).
If you don’t know anything about the MS Project ’Holy Trinity’, then put yourself through the pain of a basic course first, even if you only learn about fixed duration / work / units, it will help in the long run.
Regards,
Darren - 0Simon White ·Aye I did have a feeling that would be the general thoughts. Ive created ’dummy’ projects with setting tasks, allocated resources, set a critical path, amended start/finish date to see how it affects future tasks. Marked them on their completion, split the tasks, set milestones, played with the baselines etc. However I am guessing theres more than likely a few more ’basic’ elements Im overlooking as I dont have a more complex project to actually sink my teeth into and work out a solution for.
I guess Ill try look for one of those Basic/Intermediate in one type courses.
Thanks for the input - 0Darren Kosa ·Simon,
Of course it would remiss of me if I didn’t mention there are other planning tools on the market. If you don’t have to use MS Project as your scheduling weapon of choice, then they may be easier for a first-time scheduler to pick-up and use.
I don’t favour any particular package, I tend to use whatever the company / customer standard is, but there are members of this site who use Spider / PowerProject / Micro Planner X-Pert etc. who may be able to offer further assistance if you decide you want to head down that path.
Regards,
Darren - 0Simon White ·Thanks for the input, however the clients have requested either MS Project os Primavera. Through abit of research Ive come to the conclusion that MS Project is the lesser of the two evils ;). If im honest, it doesnt appear to be that difficult, and its much easier that keep track in Excel etc. However when I have time constraints, I dont want to have to waste time running into problems that couldve been avoided by being a little more well versed in the program before I started.
- 0Charleston-Joseph Orbe ·HI Simon,
You are native born english speaker. Your comprehension of the english language must be pretty good or the best.
All you have to do is read Microsoft Projects Books, Que or others
IN the event you understand what the book is trying to tell you, then, all you have to do is find a job as planning engineer or planner.
It is in the actual that you will learn a lot. Also keep yourself posted in Planning Planet and understand what the masters are trying to tell or share ideas.
I’m saying this because not all written in the book or course will be applied in actual practice. This is still a project to project basis.
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