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1987-03-18
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HARVARD TOTAL PROJECT MANAGER II
TRIAL SIZE
Thank you for your interest in Harvard Total Project
Manager II.
Harvard Total Project Manager II (HTPM) is the state of the
art in project management software. It combines extremely
powerful and sophisticated project management techniques with
an easy to use interface. HTPM is a comprehensive business
software tool for managers who want to implement project
management techniques quickly, accurately and easily.
This Trial Size diskette is designed to aid in your
evaluation of Harvard Total Project Manager II. Using the
Trial Size version of HTPM you can experience most features
offered in the actual product. The features not available
on the Trial Size are:
* Saving Projects. You cannot save or archive projects
with the Trial Size.
* Subprojects. You cannot save, create, expand, visit,
or return to subprojects with the Trial Size.
Use the following instructions to complete the guided
introduction to HTPM.
You're managing director of Software Shopper, Inc., a company
that markets software by direct mail to personal computer
users. You're using HTPM to plan the launch of a new
product--The Fitness Factor--that customers can use to draw
up an exercise and nutrition plan.
Instructions for following this project are indented and
marked by arrows, like this:
==> Press a key.
Display the Trial Size main menu.
==> Type HTPM
CREATE A CALENDAR
To begin, you customize a calendar to your company's work
times and days, and the holidays you take. Then HTPM can
calculate the times and durations of your project using only
the time you're actually scheduled to work.
For the sample project, we've created and saved a calendar
for Software Shopper, Inc. It's called Shopper.
LIST YOUR RESOURCES
Before you begin your plan, you also list all the resources
available to you for all your projects. A resource is
something you use to complete a project--but you don't use it
up (a hammer is a resource, but nails aren't). The people
who work on the project are resources.
HTPM can track resources across projects--for example, if
you've allocated the same resource to be used in two projects
at once, HTPM will warn you about the overallocation.
We've listed the resources you'll need to complete the
Fitness project.
CREATE YOUR PROJECT PLAN
Two activities will go on at the same time: developing the
product, and preparing a mailing for personal computer users.
When you put in all the tasks that make up your project, HTPM
will tell you when you can send out the mailing, how much the
project will cost, and what resources you'll need.
Select Create a project.
==> Type 1
You'll build a work breakdown structure of your project--a
project view that helps you divide the project into its main
parts (like an outline). It's a good way to begin the
preliminary design of a large project.
Now you see only the box labeled Goal, and in a moment, a
fill-in covers the center of the window. Use this fill-in to
define your project.
Your project will use your company's calendar. First clear
the STANDARD calendar. Hold down the Ctrl key and type E.
==> Press Ctrl-E
Now type your calendar name.
==> Type Shopper and press Tab
HTPM displays a date in the Planned start field. Your
project begins on May 4, 1987.
==> Press Ctrl-E and type 4-May-87
Leave the Planned finish date blank. HTPM will calculate the
date when you can mail out the ad for Fitness Factor.
==> Press F10
Now break your project down into its main parts: developing
the product and sending out the direct mail ad.
You'll use one of HTPM's pull-down menus.
==> Press F4
Add a task.
==> Type 2
HTPM displays a fill-in for you to type the name of the task.
The cursor is in the Name field.
==> Type Develop
Skip the Responsible field for now.
==> Press F10
You see this fill-in each time you add a task at a new level
(Develop is the first task on the level below Goal). HTPM is
going to create a PERT chart for you automatically from the
work breakdown structure. The tasks will be arranged
differently if they're parallel (occurring at the same time)
or sequential. You won't see any difference in the
arrangement of tasks while you're in the work breakdown
structure.
Develop is going on at the same time as the other task.
==> Press F10
HTPM adds Develop to the work breakdown structure. To add a
task, you can bypass the pull-down menu and use a speed key.
==> Press Ctrl-A
This time, add a task for preparing the mailing.
==> Type Mailing and press F10
Now break these tasks down further. You can work in any
order, but let's start with Develop. Move the cursor to
Develop.
==> Press down arrow and then left arrow
Add a task.
==> Press Ctrl-A
First you have to design the product.
==> Type Design and press F10
In developing software, programmers work sequentially--in
general, they finish one task before going on to the next.
==> Press right arrow and press F10
Next the programmer begins writing code to build the program.
==> Press Ctrl-A, type Code, and press F10
The work breakdown structure is far from complete, but for
now let's pause. Take a look at the PERT chart HTPM has
created from the information we've entered.
Display the Graphs menu and select PERT chart.
==> Press F2 and press Enter
Since Mailing and Develop are occurring at the same time,
HTPM has placed them in parallel paths.
When we broke down the task of Develop into more tasks, HTPM
created a special task called a milestone at the beginning
and end of Develop.
==> Press right arrow three times
The ending milestone for all the development tasks is called
Develop End.
Since the development tasks (Design and Code) are sequential,
HTPM has placed one after the other from left to right on the
PERT chart.
GET A PROJECT FILE
It would take a long time to complete the project plan, so
we've done it for you. You can get the complete plan now.
==> Press Esc twice
When the main menu appears, select Get/Save/Remove.
==> Type 5
HTPM displays the project list, including FITNESS.PRJ.
In an actual project list, you might see indented filenames
representing subprojects. HTPM allows you to link complete
projects to your large projects.
o Whenever you make a change to one project, HTPM updates
the calculations for all the projects linked to it.
o As you're working with subprojects, you can "visit" and
"leave" the subprojects without having to save and get
files.
Display the Files menu and get the Fitness project.
==> Press F2 and press Enter.
HTPM displays a fill-in.
==> Press Ctrl-E, type Fitness and press F10
You're back in the PERT chart but now you see more detail.
Move the cursor to the Start milestone.
==> Press Ctrl-Home
The two parallel paths, Develop and Mailing, branch off from
the Start milestone.
USING COLOR
If you have a color monitor, you see different colors used
for some of the tasks and milestones. These colors help you
identify the status of tasks. You can change the color
scheme, using the Setup menu, for the one that looks best on
your monitor.
INTERPRET THE CRITICAL PATH
Notice the double lines that connect the tasks following the
Develop milestone. The double lines make it easy to find
the critical path. If there's a delay in a task on the
critical path, there's a delay in the whole project. That
is, a task on the critical path has no slack.
Let's examine some other features of the PERT chart.
==> Press right arrow five times
DEFINE LINKS AND LAGS
The tasks in a complicated project don't always line up
neatly, one after the other. HTPM includes two ways of
showing real-world task dependencies: links and lags.
Find the task Write Copy. The writer has to prepare the copy
for the brochure about Fitness Factor. He can't begin until
the product design is finished and the plans for the mailing
are complete. Lines representing a link (a dependency)
connect Write Copy to the two previous tasks.
Now find the task Document. The bar between Code and
Document shows a lag. The writer can't begin the manual
until five days after coding has begun, so he has some idea
of what the user will see on the screens. The lag is marked
SS (Start-Start) because the start of Document lags the
start of Code by five days.
ZOOM THE PERT CHART
The PERT chart is larger than one screen. To get the big
picture of the project, use HTPM's Zoom feature. Use the
speed key to bypass the Format menu and the PERT chart
display fill-in.
==> Press Ctrl-Z
Now the tasks and milestones are too small to identify, but
you can see the relationships clearly.
==> Press Home
Now you see the whole project on one screen. Let's return to
a full-size PERT chart.
==> Press Ctrl-Z
The PERT chart is just one of HTPM's many project views.
Let's examine some more.
READ THE GANTT CHART
A Gantt chart is a timescale graph with horizontal bars
representing the times of tasks and milestones. It's one of
the most widely-used techniques for displaying schedule
information. HTPM prepares a Gantt chart for you, using
information you've entered about the Fitness project.
Display the Graphs menu and select Gantt chart.
==> Press F2 and type 2
To see a list of Gantt chart symbols and their meanings, get
Help.
==> Press F1
You can display Help at any time. And if the message doesn't
answer your question, there's a complete index of Help
topics. Take a look at it now.
==> Press Shift-F1
Now return to the Gantt chart.
==> Press Esc
USING THE BASELINE
HTPM allows you to set a baseline, which records the original
plans--for start and finish times, durations, resource work,
and costs. Later, when plans change, you can compare the
original and revised plans by checking the baseline. You set
the baseline as soon as you finish the original project plan.
TAGGING THE PERT CHART AND GANTT CHART
Below the task names you see some information, called a tag--
for tasks, the planned durations, and for milestones, the
earliest dates. Using the Format menu, you can display as
many as five tags on both the PERT and Gantt charts.
ADDING INFORMATION TO THE TASK LIST
Besides the work breakdown structure, the PERT chart, and the
Gantt chart, there's still another way to enter information.
The Task list is a tabular view of information about tasks
and milestones. It's helpful when you want to enter a lot of
information about more than one task at once. You can work
more quickly than you would if you displayed one task form
after another.
Use the Data menu to display the Task list.
==> Press F3 and press Enter
Information about project tasks appears in table form. The
next column shows the letter M if the task is a milestone,
the next shows task planned duration, and so on.
The task list allows you to list special categories of data
quickly. By selecting Task list display from the Format
menu, you can display columns in any order.
TURN CALCULATIONS ON AND OFF
Each time you make a change to the project, HTPM makes any
necessary calculations immediately. To speed data entry, you
can turn off the calculations.
==> Press F6 and type 4
Let's turn automatic recalculation off for a while.
==> Press right arrow and then press F10
Any time you need to recalculate, use the speed key, Ctrl-C.
CHANGE THE WAY YOU CREATE NEW PROJECTS
HTPM is set up so that you start new projects in the work
breakdown structure, but you can use Setup to change that.
You can start new projects from the PERT chart, the Gantt
chart, or the task list.
You can also use Setup to change to international date, time,
and number formats.
USING THE TASK FORM
There's a form for each task. The information in the fields
is the same as that in the task list columns.
Having both formats for entering data about tasks gives you
versatility--when you want to enter one category of
information (costs, for example) about a lot of tasks
quickly, you need the tabular view of the task list. But
when you want to focus on the individual task, and enter
more complete information about it, use the task form.
Return to the PERT chart.
==> Press F2 and press Enter
Let's examine a task form. Display the Edit menu and select
Find task:
==> Press F4 and press Enter
Clear the information in the field.
==> Press Ctrl-E
Find the task Artwork.
==> Type Artwork and press F10
Now display the Data menu and select Task form.
==> Press F3 and type 4
The top of the form shows information you can type, and the
lower part of the form shows information HTPM has calculated.
Now return to the PERT chart.
==> Press Esc
ELIMINATING NEGATIVE SLACK
From time to time, even the most careful project manager has
to deal with negative slack (not having enough time to
complete a task). HTPM warns you as soon as it calculates
negative slack, and helps you adjust your project plan quickly
and easily.
SPLIT WINDOWS
Sometimes you'd like to see more than one window on the
screen. HTPM allows you to display any combination. A
useful combination is PERT chart/Allocations list. To set it
up, display the Format menu and select Split window display.
==> Press F5 and press Enter
Use this fill-in to design your split window. Type T for the
top window and B for the bottom.
==> Type T
Move the cursor to Allocations list.
==> Press down arrow and press right arrow
Make Allocations list the bottom window
==> Type B and press F10
As you move the cursor from task to task, HTPM displays the
appropriate allocations list.
ALLOCATE RESOURCES
Now allocate your resources to the specific tasks where
they'll be used. HTPM calculates the loading and cost of
resources. You use the allocations list.
Use a speed key to display the Find task fill-in:
==> Press Ctrl-F and press Ctrl-E
Find the task Write Copy.
==> Type Write Copy and press F10
The writer is allocated to this task. In the Planned work
column, you allocated five days of his time to writing copy.
HTPM includes two graphs to show how much of each resource's
time is used. Let's look at the loading graph first.
==> Press F2 and type 6
Let's examine loading for the writer. Display the Edit menu
and select Switch resources.
==> Press F4 and press Enter
Type the name of the resource in the fill-in
==> Press Ctrl-E, type Writer, and press F10
The line next to the number 1 shows that there's one writer.
Where the bars extend up to the 1, the resource is fully
allocated. In the places where the bars dip below the 1, the
resource has free time and could take on another task.
You're concerned about testing the product adequately. Maybe
the writer could help. Try allocating him to the task Test.
Return to the split window. Display the Format menu and
select Switch views.
==> Press F5 and type 3
Now move to the task Test.
==> Press up arrow twice
The PERT chart is the active window; to work in the
allocations list, use another speed key to switch windows.
==> Press Ctrl-W
If you just type the resource, HTPM allocates it to the full
duration of the task.
==> Type Writer and press Enter
Now recalculate with the new information.
==> Press Ctrl-C
HTPM displays the letter R beside the Writer to show an
overallocation. Now check the loading graph again. Use
the speed key Ctrl-V to switch views.
==> Press Ctrl-V
Note the place (between June 1 and June 8) where the bar
rises above the line. That's where the overallocation lies.
Let's see what tasks the writer is allocated to.
==> Press F2 and type 7
The allocations graph shows each project and task the writer
is allocated to, and the times he's working on each task.
He's working on Test and Layout at the same time.
LEVEL RESOURCES
You can allow HTPM to level resources automatically.
Automatic resource leveling is an option on the Global menu.
==> Press F6 and type 3
Read the warning message and then go ahead and level
resources.
==> Press F10
If you were watching the Allocations graph, you saw the bar
beside Test move. Use the speed key to check the task form.
==> Press Ctrl-T
Note the symbol beside the planned start date. HTPM changed
the planned start date to eliminate the resource conflict.
Remove the task form.
==> Press Esc
TRACK COSTS
HTPM tracks three kinds of project costs
o Overhead - the fixed costs of the project as a whole
o Resource - the variable cost of people and equipment
used in the project
o Other - fixed costs associated with individual tasks
HTPM provides a cost graph so you can read cost information
quickly. Display it now.
==> Press F2, and type 4
The graph shows all three costs, with different columns for
planned and actual costs. You can show cumulative costs,
projected actuals, and earned value. Display the Format menu
and select Cost graph display.
==> Press F5 and type 8
When you see the fill-in, change Per unit time to Cumulative.
==> Press left arrow and press F10
HTPM adds each week's costs to the sum of the previous weeks'
costs.
Return to the main menu.
==> Press Esc twice
PRINT REPORTS
You can print sophisticated reports to meet special needs.
This trial size product allows you to print reports. To do
so, set up HTPM to run with your printer first. From the
main menu, select Setup.
==> Type 8
Display the Print/Plot menu.
==> Press F2
Set up a printer for your text and graphic reports. Start
with a text printer.
==> Type 1
Using the arrow keys, move the cursor to the name of your
printer.
==> Move the arrow keys to the name of your printer and
press F10
HTPM displays the Set up text printer fill-in. Tab from
field to field making sure the information is correct for
the printer you're using.
==> Press F10
When you see the Setup window again, you'll see the name of
your printer.
Next select a printer for your graphic reports (it can be the
same printer you selected for your text reports).
==> Press F2 and type 2
Using the arrow keys, move the cursor to the name of your
printer.
==> Move the arrow keys to the name of your printer and
press F10
HTPM displays the Set up graphics printer fill-in. Tab from
field to field making sure the information is correct for
the printer you're using.
==> Press F10
Return to the main menu.
==> Press Esc
Select Reports.
==> Type 7
HTPM displays the Reports screen, a list of all the reports
available. Move the cursor to Task and Milestone List.
==> Press down arrow twice
Display the Options menu and select Format report.
==> Press F2 and type 2
Now decide what information you want, and in what order. You
can eliminate any columns shown, or add the ones that don't
have numbers beside them. Leave the defaults for now.
==> Press F10 twice
Display the Options menu again and select Run report.
==> Press F2 and press Enter
Note the options available for your report. You can add a
header or footer, or create a disk file for printing the
report later. You can also prepare files for use by Lotus
1-2-3, dBASE II, dBASE III, and PFS:Professional File (this
option is available when you print to disk).
==> Press F10
When HTPM is finished printing, you return to the Reports
screen. Now print a graphic report: the PERT chart.
==> Press right arrow, and press up arrow
Select Run report.
==> Press F2 and press Enter
Notice the many options for your report. For example, you
could print a grid behind a Gantt chart or allocations graph,
or print a low (draft) or high quality report.
Print the PERT chart sideways (horizontally).
==> Press Tab 4 times
Select Sideways.
==> Press right arrow and press Tab
For a sideways report, you don't want HTPM to break between
pages.
==> Press right arrow and press F10
When the report is finished, exit from HTPM.
==> Press Esc and type E
CONCLUSION
HTPM has determined for you when you can mail out the
brochure, what the Fitness Factor will cost, and how many
people you'll need to complete the project. And you've
monitored the project, making adjustments and printing
reports for others.
You've seen only part of the information HTPM can help you
calculate and evaluate. With a wide range of specialized
features, sophisticated calculation capabilities, and
flexibility for your convenience, HTPM is the most complete
project manager you can buy.
SHARE WITH ASSOCIATES
The HTPM Trial Size diskettes are not copy-protected. You're
free to copy them as many times as you like to share them
with friends and associates.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information about Harvard Total Project Manager or
to purchase the product, see your local software dealer or
distributor.
For answers to your technical questions that aren't addressed
by this Guide or the sales literature, call:
Software Publishing Product Support (415) 962-9564
7:30 am to 4:30 pm Pacific Time Monday through Friday.
Software Publishing Corporation
1901 Landings Drive
P.O. Box 7210
Mountain View, CA 94039-7210 USA
Software Publishing Europe
85-87 Jermyn Street
London, SW1Y6JD
England
Tel: 1-839-2840