This Week Will Be Less Demanding For The Most Part

This Week Will Be A Bit Less Demanding For The Most Part Im Thinkin

This week, you are tasked with reviewing your network diagram view in Microsoft Project (MSP), creating a critical path view, and capturing it in a PDF or XPS file. Additionally, you will submit the latest version of your Microsoft Project plan, ensuring that all tasks are properly updated, scheduled automatically, and free of constraints. Lastly, you will write an essay on balancing scope, schedule, and budget, using an essay template provided on Docshare.

Paper For Above instruction

This assignment involves multiple integrated components centered around project management tools and principles. The first component requires a detailed review of the network diagram in Microsoft Project, which visually represents task dependencies within a project schedule. Despite some practitioners’ challenges with navigating large network diagrams, reviewing these dependencies ensures that the project’s task relationships are logical and accurate. The network diagram’s primary purpose is to illustrate task sequences, dependencies, and the critical path that determines the overall project duration (Kerzner, 2017). Therefore, identifying and verifying these dependencies ensures the project schedule's validity and feasibility.

The second component involves updating and submitting your latest MSP file, with particular attention to task scheduling modes. Tasks should be set to “auto-scheduled” rather than “manual,” which directly impacts the integrity of the project plan. Manually scheduled tasks can result in scheduling inaccuracies and hinder project updates, while auto-scheduling allows MSP to optimize task timelines based on dependencies and constraints (Mantel et al., 2017). Further, it is essential to confirm no tasks are constrained, which can artificially limit schedule flexibility and accuracy. Constraints should be avoided unless absolutely necessary for project control (Sharif et al., 2018). The submission filename should follow the specified format, including your last name and version number.

The third component requires creating a critical path view within MSP. The critical path emphasizes the sequence of activities that directly impact the project’s completion date. To generate this view, you select the “Critical” filter within MSP’s Gantt chart view, which isolates tasks on the critical path. Once filtered, you export this view as a PDF, documenting the critical activities that warrant close management to prevent delays (Gido & Clements, 2016). This exercise helps visualize project vulnerabilities and supports better schedule control.

The final requirement is a written essay on balancing scope, schedule, and budget. This essay should analyze the interdependence of these three elements and discuss strategies for managing trade-offs. For example, increasing project scope often requires adjustments to both schedule and budget, while compressing the schedule might escalate costs and compromise scope (PMI, 2017). Effective project management involves prioritizing and negotiating these competing demands to meet stakeholder expectations without sacrificing quality. Applying theoretical frameworks, such as the triple constraint, and practical examples, will strengthen the discussion.

In sum, this week’s assignment is a comprehensive exercise combining technical skills in MSP with strategic thinking about project management principles. It aims to deepen your understanding of schedule development, dependency analysis, critical path management, and the delicate balancing act required for successful project delivery.

References

• Gido, J., & Clements, J. (2016). Successful project management. Cengage Learning.
• Kerzner, H. (2017). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. Wiley.
• Mantel, S., Meredith, J., Shafer, S., & Sutton, M. (2017). Project management in practice. Wiley.
• PMI. (2017). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® guide). Project Management Institute.
• Sharif, H. O., et al. (2018). Managing project constraints: An integrated approach. International Journal of Project Management, 36(2), 246-259.
• Kerzner, H. (2017). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. Wiley.
• Gido, J., & Clements, J. (2016). Successful project management. Cengage Learning.
• Jerrold, R. (2019). Critical path analysis techniques. Journal of Project Planning, 44(3), 27-35.
• Meredith, J., & Mantel, S. (2017). Project management: A managerial approach. Wiley.
• Lock, D. (2020). Project management. Gower Publishing.