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Ready to be in control with Visual Project 3
A new powerful tool for Project Management:
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About VisualProject
VisualProject 3 is a high performance tool for Managing Projects. It allows you to create a Work Break
down Structure (WBS) and an Organizational Break down Structure (OBS). Managing Activities
On the PERT chart you can move an activity box around by grapping it with the mouse. You can also use
a rubber rectangle to select multiple activities. This is usefull if you want to move/cut/copy. Managing Resources
On the Pool Catalog you can use a rubber rectangle to select multiple resources. This is usefull if you want to do cut/copy. Advanced Project Copy and Paste
On the WBS chart, select the project you want to copy. Right-Click on it, and select Copy. On the WBS Chart, select the project you want to copy to. Now select the Pert Chart View. In this, select and/or Right-Click the activity you want to paste to. Select Paste Activity. You now have a 2nd replica of the initial project you selected.
And all your assigned resource allocations are maintained in the 2nd replica.
When you delete a project, any existing Cross Bindings will be deleted as well. Advanced Pool Copy and Paste
On the OBS chart, select the pool you want to copy. Right-Click on it, and select Copy. On the OBS Chart,
select the pool you want to copy to. Now select the Pool Catalog View. Cross Bindings
You can create Cross Bindings between activities in different projects. These Cross Bindings can be between sub-project activities or between simple activities in different projects. On the PERT chart, select one activity and use the context menu to select "Set as Cross Binding Predecessor". In another project select one activity and use the context menu to select "Set as Cross Binding Successor". The Cross Binding is now created.
In the Cross Binding dialog you can double click the predecessor link, followed with a double click on the successor link. Finally you click on the Create Cross Binding button to create the Cross Binding.
The Cross Binding is indicated as a small black arrow on top of the predecessor activity and a small black arrow
on the bottom of the successor activity on the Pert Chart. Delete/Copy/Paste of Activities and Resources
You can use Delete/Paste to move an activity or resource to a different project or pool. In both cases the resource allocations for the activity or resource is maintained on the clipboard. When you paste the clipboard content to a different project or pool, these new activities and resources will have their initial resource allocations.
Similarly, if you Copy/Paste a resource to the same or a different pool, now any activities having resource allocations from the initial resource will now also have resource allocations from the pasted resource. Analysis Methods
VisualProject have 5 analysis methods: Time Analysis, Statistical Time Analysis, Resource Leveling, Limited Resources scheduling and Limited Costs scheduling.
All analysis methods operate in a true multi-project manor. Displaying Results
The Option Bar allows you to change what is displayed on the various charts. You can choose between "Show EF & LS", "Show Criticality Index and Variance/Standard Deviation" and "Show Percent Complete". Using Baselines
The Baselines dialog in the View menu allows you to create baselines. A baseline is a snapshot of your current projects activity data and cost data. Before you create a baseline make sure you have conducted an analysis first, since it is the results from this analysis that will be stored in the baseline. Activity Types
The Activity Types dialog in the View menu allows you to create activity types. If an activity type has been created, this will be available as an activity type in the Activity dialog.
If some activities across the WBS projects has been given this activity type, the Bar Chart view will now only list those activities having this activity type across the WBS projects. Resource Types
The Resource Types dialog in the View menu allows you to create resource types. If a resource type has been created, this will be available as a resource type in the Resource dialog.
If some resources across the OBS pools has been given this resource type, the Resource Bar Chart view, the Resource Profile view and the Cumulative Resource Profile view will now only list those resources having this resource type across the OBS pools. Activity Table
The Activity Table allows for fast columnwise editing of activity data. Double click on the cell you want to edit, and the cell will now become editable.
The text in the cell will be selected, and you can start typing the new text, followed with Return. This will advance the selected row to the next row, and this cell will now be editable.
By clicking the column header, the Activity Table will be sorted according to the clicked column. By clicking the second time on the same column header, the Activity table will be reversed sorted according to the clicked column. The Name column cannot be edited. Resource Table
The Resource Table allows for fast columnwise editing of activity data. Double click on the cell you want to edit, and the cell will now become editable.
The text in the cell will be selected, and you can start typing the new text, followed with Return. This will advance the selected row to the next row, and this cell will now be editable.
By clicking the column header, the Resource Table will be sorted according to the clicked column.
By clicking the second time on the same column header, the Resource table will be reversed sorted according to the clicked column. The Name column cannot be edited. Activity Assignment Table
The Activity Assignment Table allows for fast columnwise editing of assignment data. Double click on the cell you want to edit, and the cell will now become editable.
The text in the cell will be selected, and you can start typing the new text, followed with Return. This will advance the selected row to the next row, and this cell will now be editable.
By clicking the column header, the Activity Assignment Table will be sorted according to the clicked column. By clicking the second time on the same column header, the Activity Assignment Table will be reversed sorted according to the clicked column. Resource Assignment Table
The Resource Assignment Table allows for fast columnwise editing of assignment data. Double click on the cell you want to edit, and the cell will now become editable.
The text in the cell will be selected, and you can start typing the new text, followed with Return. This will advance the selected row to the next row, and this cell will now be editable.
By clicking the column header, the Resource Assignment Table will be sorted according to the clicked column. By clicking the second time on the same column header, the Resource Assignment Table will be reversed sorted according to the clicked column. Cost Tables
The Cost Tables in VisualProject consist of the Project Cost Table and the Pool Cost Table. By clicking the column header, these Cost Tables will be sorted according to the clicked column.
By clicking the second time on the same column header, the Cost Tables will be reversed sorted according to the clicked column. Calendars
The Analysis Parameters dialog has an option for scheduling with respect to Calendars. Only scheduling with the Day or Week Input Layout uses this option. Export/Import
VisualProject offers Export and Import of WBS and OBS, including bindings and assignments. This allows you to move projects and pools to other files. Export/Import Format
The Export/Import Format of VisualProject is an ASCII format. Most of this is intuitive, but a few items need further clarification: Pie Charts
VisualProject offers Pie Chart views of Breakdown of Total Cost or Breakdown of accumulated Work Assigned.
If you select "Show EF & LS", the Pie Chart displays Breakdown of Total Cost, otherwise it displays Breakdown of accumulated Work Assigned. Client/Server
VisualProject offers Client/Server communication between two or more installations of VisualProject. One installation of VisualProject must be configured as a Server, and the remaining as Clients.
This configuration allows for a Client to send the Clients's current VisualProject document to the Server, which now can merge the received Client document into the Server's current open document. Case Files
VisualProject contains several case files. These files demonstrates the various features and calculation methods of VisualProject.
The WBS contains all your Projects and Activities, and the OBS contains all your Pools and Resources.
You create the very first project by clicking the WBS icon. You create the very first pool by clicking the OBS icon.
Each Project contains a set of activities. You create the activities on the PERT chart by double-clicking the chart.
Each Pool contains a set of resources. You create the resources on the Pool Catalog by double-clicking the catalog. Every activity and
resource can be turned into a sub-project and a sub-pool.
You traverse the Project hierarchy by double-clicking a sub-project on the PERT chart, or by selecting a project on the WBS.
You traverse the Pool hierarchy by double-clicking a sub-pool on the Pool Catalog, or by selecting a pool on the OBS.
You travese up in the Project hierarchy by pressing ESC when on the PERT chart, Bar Chart, or Linked Bar Chart.
You travese up in the Pool hierarchy by pressing ESC when on the Pool Catalog.
Project names must be unique, Pool names must be unique, as well as Activity names and Resource names.
You can create a binding between two activities by pressing the Alt key while pressing the mouse left key.
Then drag the line to the destination activity and release the mouse button. Make sure you create the binding
from a predecessor activity to a successor activity.
A binding between two activities can be selected by double-clicking the middle of the binding.
This will bring up the Bindings dialog. In this dialog you can enter data for the binding or remove it.
You can assign resources to an activity on the PERT chart, by right-clicking the mouse on an activity.
Select the Assign Resources and this will bring up the Assign Resources dialog.
When you turn a resource into a sub-pool, the assignments of that resource to activities will be removed.
In this, select and/or Right-Click the resource you want to paste to. Select Paste Resource. You now have a 2nd replica of the initial pool you selected.
And all your assigned resource allocations are maintained in the 2nd replica.
When pasting a Project onto an Activity, you want to check if the Project contains a fixed start or finish date. Your pasted Project may not want those fixed dates.
Time Analysis is the simplest analysis method. This is done without resource requirements, and as such result in the shortest time line.
Statistic Time Analysis uses Monte-Carlo simulations to analyse the project hierarchy in a true statistical manor. The duration used per activity consist
of Optimistic, Most Likely, and Pessimistic duration. Statistic Time Analysis is based on Time Analysis.
Statistic Time Analysis offers 4 different Statistical Distributions, Normal, Lognormal, Rectangular, and Beta. The Normal, Lognormal and Rectangular
distribution uses Optimistic and Pessimistic duration to calculate the mean duration. The Beta distribution uses Optimistic, Most Likely, and Pessimistic duration to calculate the mean duration.
The 3 duration parameters determines the shape of the beta curve.
PERT Computations can be "Three Times Estimates", indicating Optimistic, Most Likely and Pessimistic duration used are the user entered activity durations.
Any other PERT Computations means Optimistic and Pessimistic durations are automatic calculated, based on the user entered Most Likely Duration.
In all cases, Visual Project uses the classic known PERT system of 3 time estimates to calculate the standard deviation.
Statistic Time Analysis results in a Criticality Index, that is how many times a certain activity was on the critical path during the calculations.
Resource Leveling reschedule activities withing their slack span, in order to minimize resource load. The final project date is not extended,
and some resources may still be overloaded. Resource Leveling can be based on Time Analysis or Statistic Time Analysis.
Limited Resources schedules activities with respect to their relevant resource loads, such that no resource is overloaded.
The final project date will be extended. Limited Resources scheduling can be based on Time Analysis or Statistic Time Analysis.
Limited Costs schedules activities with respect to their relevant costs, such that no activity will have costs higher then the projects Cost Limit.
The final project date will be extended. Limited Cost scheduling can be based on Time Analysis or Statistic Time Analysis.
If you select "Show Criticality Index and Variance/Standard Deviation", the Criticality Index will be displayed in the lower right corner on the Pert and WBS chart,
and the Variance/Standard Deviation will be displayed in the upper right corner on the Pert Chart.
If you select "Show Percent Complete", the Percent Complete will be displayed on the upper right corner and the Work Assigned will be displayed on the lower left corner on Pert and WBS Chart.
The project Percent Complete will be the average of the Percent Complete of the activities in that project.
If you select "Show EF & LS" the WBS chart will display a cost Criticality Index in its lower left corner,
if a Cost Limit has been entered on the Project dialog. This Critically Index indicates if greater than 1.0, that cost has been expended.
If you select "Show Criticality Index and Variance/Standard Deviation" the OBS chart and Pool Catalog will display a resource Criticality Index in its lower left corner.
If greater than 1.0, this indicates that the pool is expended, and that the final project date very likely will be extended.
If you select "Show Percent Complete" the OBS chart and Pool Catalog will display the Work Assigned on the lower right corner.
The Bar Chart can be expanded, that is sub-project activities are listed as well in the Bar Chart.
Click on a sub-project bar, and that sub-project will now be included. A second click on the sub-project bar will collapse the sub-project.
An option on the tool bar allows for expanding or collapsing all sub-project levels. The sub-projects expand state is saved upon saving your project file.
The Option tab in the Preference dialog allows you to change between Variance and Standard Deviation on the Pert Chart.
Another option allows you to change between Total Float and Free Float on the Bar Charts. Free Float is the amount of float an activity can consume without effecting any other activity in the network.
If a baseline has been selected, this will be displayed on the Bar Charts as a horizontal black line, with two small diamonds in each end. This will allow you to visually compare the actual activity with the baseline.
If you bring up the Baseline dialog, and don't select a baseline, when clicking OK, you have essentially deselected the current baseline. The Bar Charts will now just display the activity data.
The Project Cost Table will display the cost data in the current plan, but if a baseline have been selected, the Project Cost Table will show the cost data for that baseline. By selecting/deselecting a baseline using the Baselines dialog you can easy control what data is shown in the Project Cost Table.
If you select an existing baseline, you can rename this by entering the new name in the Name field, followed by clicking the Rename button.
If you bring up the Activity Types dialog, and don't select an activity type, when clicking OK, you have essentially deselected the current activity type.
The various views will now just display the normal view of the current selected project.
If you select an existing activity type, you can rename this by entering the new name in the Name field, followed by clicking the Rename button.
If you bring up the Resource Types dialog, and don't select a resource type, when clicking OK, you have essentially deselected the current resource type. The various views will now just display the normal view of the current selected pool.
If you select an existing resource type, you can rename this by entering the new name in the Name field, followed by clicking the Rename button.
All rows can be copied to the Windows clipboard (Ctrl-C). The data on the clipboard is named "Unicode Text".
All rows can be copied to the Windows clipboard (Ctrl-C). The data on the clipboard is named "Unicode Text".
Any assignment value greater than the number of units for the corresponding resource is flagged red. You can only change the Unit column and the Assigned column. The Name column cannot be edited.
Selected rows or all rows (Ctrl-A) can be copied to the Windows clipboard (Ctrl-C). The data on the clipboard is named "Unicode Text".
Any assignment value greater than the number of units for the corresponding resource is flagged red. You can only change the Unit column and the Assigned column. The Name column cannot be edited.
Selected rows or all rows (Ctrl-A) can be copied to the Windows clipboard (Ctrl-C). The data on the clipboard is named "Unicode Text".
The Project Cost table displays activity costs and costs accrued from resources being assigned to activities.
The Pool Cost table displays cost accrued from resources being assigned to activities.
Each resource cost is calculated as "Unit Assigned" * "Cost Price" * "Activity Duration".
Currently 5 calendar files exist, US, Canada, England, Germany and Denmark. These national calendar files are composed based on information from wikipedia.org.
The current project selected defines what project to Export. Similarly, the current pool selected defines what pool to Export. You can choose if resource assignments shall be exported as well.
However, these resource assignments are exported by name, which means they will only be imported if a corresponding pool and resource exist upon Import.
When importing you can choose if you want to Import as a sub-project into the current selected project and activity. You can also choose if you want to keep the current WBS and/or OBS upon Import.
Another import option is to select a project on the WBS and then select import. The result will be a new sub-project activity in the select project, and a new sub project hierarchy.
ActivityData: x-coord, y-coord, type (-1 means none), duration, optimistic duration, pessimistic duration, accomplished duration
ActivityAssignment: pool name, resource name, assignment value
ResourceData: number of units, type (-1 means none)
ProjectBinding: predecessor, successor, ff, fs, sf, ss
The date format is US: month/day/year hour:00:00
A project section MUST be terminated with ProjectEND
A pool section MUST be terminated with PoolEND
You can view the WBS side, allowing up to 5 projects to show their percentive parts. Or you can view the OBS side, allowing up to 5 pools to show their percentive parts.
The Pie Chart Settings dialog in the Edit menu allows you to customize the projects and pools you like to view at the Pie Charts. You can also change the color of the Pie Charts sections here.
The entire WBS of the Client document will be merged as a sub-project to the WBS of the Server document. The entire OBS of the Client document will be merged into the OBS of the Server document.
The Server must be added to the Windows Firewall, and you can do this by right clicking the VisualProject desktop icon, and select "Run As Administrator".
Case0.vp illustrates various bindings being applied. This case file is based on Joseph J. Moder: Project Management with CPM, PERT and Precedence Diagramming, page 102.
Case1.vp is based on a sample from PMI (Project Management Institute) and illustrates the effect of Scheduling with Limited Resources.
Case2.vp is based on Joseph J. Moder: Project Management with CPM, PERT and Precedence Diagramming, page 196 and illustrates the effect of Resource Loading.
Case3.vp is based on Joseph J. Moder: Project Management with CPM, PERT and Precedence Diagramming, page 219 and illustrates the power of VisualProject being able to find the almost optimal solution in a heavy resource constrained case.
Case4.vp is based on Joseph J. Moder: Project Management with CPM, PERT and Precedence Diagramming, page 134 and illustrates how cost over time can be minimized using Limited Cost Scheduling.
Case5.vp is a multi-project construction example, and illustrates how Statistic Time Analysis effectively calculates the criticality of the individual activities.
Case6.vp is based on Joseph J. Moder: Project Management with CPM, PERT and Precedence Diagramming, page 222 and is a real example of design and implementation of
software for a computer-based management information system. This example contains heavily constrained resources and illustrates the effect of Scheduling with Limited Resources.