PMBOK 5th Edition with MS Project 2013 - A Practical Guide

Early last year, I had a post on PMBOK with MS Project 2010. In the mean time, Microsoft has come up with a new version of Project, i.e., MS Project 2013. The earlier paper, which guided on  a practical approach to PMBOK guide 5th edition with MS Project  2010, needed an update.  Also, MS Project 2013 has changed in its functionality as compared to MS Project 2010. 

This paper is an update on earlier one, with the latest edition of PMBOK and MS Project. As MS Project 2013 is getting more penetration in the project management tools' market, capturing share and will replace MS Project 2010/2007 over a period of time - it is an appropriate time to update on the earlier paper. The earlier paper has been enhanced with new sections for Float, Free Float, Total Float. A section for Forward and Backward pass, used in Critical Path Measurement, has been added. Also, additional screenshots with example projects, have been added to this paper. 

The edition used here for MS Project in elaborating the principles of PMBOK guide 5th Edition, is the Professional Edition 2013.

Few excerpts:

3.2.6 Free Float/Slack and Total Float/Slack (PMBOK/MSP) 

Float calculation for free float and total float for the tasks in a project, goes hand in hand with the Critical Path Measurement (CPM). The concept of float is same, both in MS Project and PMBOK.  

Total float is the number of days by which a task can be delayed so that the end date of the project is not pushed. A tasks on critical path (critical tasks) will have total float of value zero. Free float is the number of days by which a task can be delayed so that it does not push the start date of the successor task. Free float for critical tasks also will be zero.  

As shown below, all critical tasks have free and total float value as zero. However the non-critical tasks have individual free float and total float values.  

. . .

3.2.7 Forward Pass and Backward Pass (PMBOK/MSP) 

The concept of forward and backward pass is used during the CPM calculation. A task can have 4 such possible values: Early Start (ES), Late Start (LS), Early Finish (EF) and Late Finish (LF). While checking on the forward pass, ES and EF are used, whereas while checking on the backward pass LF and LS are used.  

The ES, EF, LS, and LF dates for each task in the MS Project also can be seen by changing the table to Schedule from default Entry table. To change the table, select Table command under data group of View tab. 

 . . .

The complete paper is available here for your view below. If you have thumbnail views coming up, click on the "<" icon on the left in the view below to close the page thumbnails.

PMBOK Guide 5th Edition & MS Project 2013 - A Practical Guide

The paper also can be seen as a single link. (Link)



You may also like:
1. Synergy Between MS Project 2007 and PMBOK Guide 4th Edition
2. PMBOK Guide 5th Edition and MS Project 2010 - A Practical Step-by-Step Approach

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