MANAGEMENT YOGI: January 2018

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Sample Videos: MS Project 2016 Live Lessons - Guaranteed Learning or Your Money Back

This is in continuation of the following posts:

As noted in the earlier, content of this course has been used many professionals, including successful PMPs.

Post its availability, there have been requests to check few sample videos, which will assist them in finalizing. Hence, this post. Earlier the access was somewhat restricted and was provided on request basis.

In this post, there are 9 sample videos, which have been made public. The access to these videos is completely free and can be seen at the YouTube channel of Management Yogi.

The videos are from the following lessons.
Lesson - 1: Welcome and Pre-requisites (3 sample videos)

Video 1 - Welcome
Video 2 - Course And Credit
Video 9 - Best Wishes

Lesson - 2: Introducing MS Project 2016 (2 sample videos)

Video 2.4 - First View of MS Project
Video 2.5 - Changing The Theme

Lesson - 3: Tasks (1 video)

Video 3.7 - Recurring Tasks

Lesson - 7: Developing Project Plan (1 video)

Video 7.2 - Assign Resources Options - Default One

Lesson - 9: Analyzing Project (1 video)

Video 9.15 - Ways to See Critical Tasks and Paths

Lesson - 12 - Reporting Project (1 video)

Video 12.6 - Working with Multiple Timelines

You can check these videos one by one.

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Videos: Lesson 1 - Welcome and Pre-requisites

Video 1 - Welcome (0:57s)
The first welcome video.
It informs about the MS Project 2016 Live Lessons briefly.

Video 2 - Course And Credit (1m:43s)
About this live lessons, along with people who are credited in making this course.

Video 3 - Best Wishes (0:45s)
Final welcome video in the MS Project 2016 Live Lessons course.

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Videos: Lesson 2 - Introducing MS Project 2016

Video 2.4 First View of MS Project (3m:22s)
This video explains all components of MS Project 2016, when you create a project file for the first time.

Video 2.5 Changing The Theme (2m:19s)
In our course, we will use a different theme. In my view, this theme is the best one to visualize. This video explains how do you change the theme?

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Videos: Lesson 3 - Tasks

Video 3.7 Recurring Tasks (4m:07s)
How to create recurring tasks, e.g. team meetings, customer meetings etc.? This video explains.

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Videos: Lesson 7: Developing Project Plan

Video 7.2 Assigning Resources Options - Default One (4m:00s)
There are many ways you can assign resources - work resources, material resources or cost resources. This video informs on the default one, i.e., the command option given to you by MS Project.

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Videos: Lesson 9: Analyzing Project

Video 9.15 Ways to See Critical Tasks and Paths (7m:16s)
You will be frequently analyzing Critical tasks and critical for your project. There are many ways you can check - depending on your convenience or the view you are in. This video explains many possible ways you can check the critical tasks and paths.

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Videos: Lesson 12: Reporting Project

Video 12.6 Working with Multiple Timelines (4m:40s)
This is a NEW feature in MS Project 2016. With this feature, you can create multiple timelines and it helps in better reporting.

I believe this will help you to understand more about this course and will help you to finalize.

To know more about this course and what is "Guaranteed MS Project Learning or Your Money Back Program", please refer:
MS Project 2016 Live Lessons – Guaranteed Learning or Your Money Back

If you require more information, please send a mail to: managementyogi@gmail.com.

You may also like:

PMP Live Lessons – Guaranteed Pass or Your Money Back

Friday, January 26, 2018

Demystifying Project and Project Management

The terms, "project" and "project management", may look nothing when just look at them. But in reality, they have deeper meanings. As an aspiring Project Management Professional (PMP®), these are two foundational terms. These are crucial, not only from the exam point of view, but also while filling your PMP application form. And, it's equally important when you are undertaking a project. You need to ask yourself - are you really doing a project?

I’ve seen many applications being rejected, because these two terms – "project" and "project management" – are highly misunderstood. For example:

Releases are considered to be projects. They are not projects, but part of a project.
Combining a set of bug-fixes in a defined timeline is considered to be a project. It's not a project. They are done as part of a project.
If you are doing defects removal during your sustenance, it’s not part of a project. It’s part of an operation.
Manufacturing work is not project work. It’s operational work.
Related to the above point - if you are enhancing the existing business processes & procedures for a manufacturing organization within a defined timeline, then it's a project!
Coming to project management, you as an aspiring PMP, should inform that you have worked in five process groups – Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling (or IPECC for short).

Project

You need to understand what Project Management Institute (PMI®) is saying with respect to project and project management. It defines a project as below.

“A Project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service or result.”

The definition is deceptively simple, but it packs a punch with information. Let's see. The terms used are:

“Temporary”, which means a project has a beginning and an end.
Temporary does not mean it will be very short. Also, the temporary condition does not apply to the product or service or result. Rather, the word “temporary”, modifies the subsequent noun “endeavor”.
“Endeavor”, which means an effort is put forth by resources for the project execution. Temporary tells a project has a definite beginning and end.
“Unique”, which means the product or service or result created by project is unique.
"Create”, which says a project creates. It does not co-ordinate or link or organize. It creates product or service or result.

To understand more on project definition and related terms, a video has been made available for you.
It’s from PMP LIVE LESSONS.

Project Management

Project Management, on the other hand, is defined by PMI as below.

“Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to meet the project requirements”.

A lot of information in just one line! Diving deeper, it talks about:

Knowledge – You need to have both Project and Product Knowledge.
Skills – You should be able to apply the knowledge at the right time in a right place in a right way with the right people.
Tools and Techniques – You need to know various techniques such as Critical Path Method, Critical Chain Method, Earned Value Measurement, Expected Monetary Value, Stakeholder Analysis etc.
You also need to know various tools such as Software Tools, Change Control Tools, Quality Tools etc.

However, the final note in the above statement is most significant. It tells having knowledge, skills, tools and techniques are NOT enough. What needed is – application of them. But application for what purpose? To meet the project requirements. Also, it's about meeting the project objectives – such as scope objectives, schedule objectives, cost objectives and so on. That's what makes you a project manager.

Here too, to understand what actually is project management – a video is available for you.
This is also from PMP LIVE LESSONS.

PMP LIVE LESSONS - Guaranteed Pass:

PMP LIVE LESSONS: Guaranteed Pass or Your Money Back

Book for PMP exam:

Book for PMP Exam Prep: "I Want To Be A PMP"

You may also like:

Deliverables Flow - PMP Exam Prep
Change Request Flow - PMP Exam Prep
Sample Videos: PMP Live Lessons - Guaranteed Pass or Your Money Back (9 Videos)
More Sample Videos: PMP Live Lessons - Guaranteed Pass or Your Money Back (9 Videos)

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

MS Project 2016 Agile Features Now Part of Live Lessons

This is in continuation of the following posts:

With the new Agile Features, in MS Project 2016, now you can work with two Agile methods - Scrum and Kanban.

In view of the new addition, the video course - MS PROJECT 2016 LIVE LESSONS - has been updated, to include Agile.

They are available as part of the a New Lesson.
MS Project 2016 - Lesson Agile - Working with Agile Methods

This lesson has been added, with the associated .mpp files.
This lesson has explanations on:

Scrum Method

A Summary on Scrum
Creating the Product Backlog
Prioritizing Product Backlog Items
Managing Sprints
Adding and Assigning Resources for Scrum Project
Tracking Sprint Progress
Reporting for Scrum Project

Kanban Method

A Summary on Kanban
Creating the Kanban Backlog
Adding a New Workflow State
Adding and Assigning Resources for Kanban Project
Moving Backlog Items into Columns
Tracking Kanban Project Progress
Reporting for Kanban Project

A number of practical MPP files have been added as well to guide you through this new lesson.

Overall Updates for Agile Features

Number of New Videos for Agile Features: 26
(Total number of videos now for MSP 2016 Live Lessons: 240)
Lesson Duration: 1 hour 18 minutes and 17 seconds
Practical Files for Scrum: 7 MPP files
Practical Files for Kanban: 7 MPP files

All practical files, for this lesson (and also all other lessons), can be downloaded.

If you have any question/clarification, please send an email to managementyogi@gmail.com.
If you want to see some sample videos, before taking your decision, you are welcome to do so.

Notes:

With these new updates, the guarantee remains as before.
For new and existing users of this course - MS PROJECT 2016 LIVE LESSONS - all these updates are FREE of cost.

Videos Courses on MS Project Agile and Hybrid-Agile:

You may also like:

Articles on MS Project:

Friday, January 19, 2018

MS Project 2016 Live Lessons – Guaranteed Learning or Your Money Back

I am delighted to announce the availability of Microsoft Project (MSP) 2016 Live Lessons, a complete video course.

"MS Project 2016 Live Lessons – Guaranteed Learning or Your Money Back"

This is one of its kind course in the world with guaranteed learning.

This course includes advanced concepts such as Earned Value Management (EVM), Resource Pool Management, Multi-project management, Critical Path Measurement (CPM), Forward/Backward Pass Technique, Float Management, Resource Levelling, Project Reporting and Project Closing.

The content of this course has been used many professionals.

Top Features

214 videos covering all relevant aspects of MS Project 2016. (+26 NEW videos for Agile)
8.75 hours of deep learning. (8 hours 45 minutes 34 seconds)
7 hours of practicals. Contains 15 practical with 30+ hands-on big practical solution files (not 3 to 4 liners mpp files), which are progressively built-up.
Contains advanced concepts such as Earned Value Management (EVM), Resource Pooling, Managing Multiple Projects, Critical Path Measurement (CPM), Forward/Backward Pass Techniques, Resource Levelling, Project Reporting, and Project Closing.
100+ practice questions.
Highly simplified content and language, with real time examples.
100s of tips and tricks and shortcut keys as you go through the course.
Agile Features - working with Scrum and Kanban [NEW]

High Level Course Breakdown

Lesson 1 - Welcome and Pre-requisites (16 videos): 24:27 [24 minutes and 27 seconds]
Lesson 2 - Introducing MS Project 2016 (21 videos): 47:49
Lesson 3 - Tasks (19 videos): 44:38
Lesson 4 - Resources (12 videos): 24:25
Lesson 5 - Calendars (10 videos): 21:14
Lesson 6 - Understanding Scheduling Formula (13 videos): 30:55
Lesson 7 - Developing Project Plan (12 videos): 31:32
Lesson 8 - Leveling Resources (8 videos): 22:43
Lesson 9 - Analyzing Project (21 videos): 01:01:38
Lesson 10 - Tracking Project (11 videos): 30:06
Lesson 11 - Sorting, Grouping and Filtering (11 videos): 29:42
Lesson 12 - Reporting Project (16 videos): 48:38
Lesson 13 - Earned Value Management (19 videos): 54:54
Lesson 14 - Resource Pool and Managing Multi-Projects (12 videos): 32:04
Lesson 15 - Closing Project (12 videos): 23:55
Lesson 16 - MS Project 2016 - Lesson Agile - Working with Agile Methods: 1:18:17 [NEW]
MS Project 2016 Practical Workbook
MS Project 2016 Practical Solutions Files
Tips and Tricks MS Project 2016
Final Talk (1 video) 2:28

More details available at: https://managementyogi.blogspot.com/p/videos.html

What is Guaranteed Learning or Your Money Back Program?
You will receive access to the entire video course for 7 days. You go through the videos, along with detailed instructions (also in video format), If you don’t like the course, I’ll refund your entire money - no questions asked.

There are no little tricks on terms and conditions.

The premise is simple.
Check the entire course for 7 days. You like it, you continue and learn.
In case you don’t like it, I’ll refund your entire money.

Applicability and Validity

Software: MS Project 2016 Professional/Online Professional and MS Project 2013
Course Duration – 6 months from the date of purchase
Price - $69 USD/ Rs 5,519 (for 3 months)
$109 USD / Rs 8,719 (for 6 months)
Available since - January, 2018

Detailed Course Breakdown
The detailed course breakdown is shown below (Embedded PDF). It details on hours of learning, number of videos and practice questions, and practicals. You can scroll or open in larger screen by clicking the arrow on right in the embedded frame, to see the content.

If you want to buy or have any other question, please send an email to managementyogi@gmail.com.

If you want to watch some sample videos, before taking your decision, you are welcome to do so.

You may also like:

PMP Live Lessons – Guaranteed Pass or Your Money Back

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Microsoft Project 2016 Brings New Agile Features

Finally, Microsoft Project 2016, a popular project-portfolio management software, has decided to bring Agile features. With this addition, if you are working in an Agile Project and using MS Project, you can apply various agile features to manage your project/iterations/sprints.

It’s a very welcome addition by Microsoft Project Team. In fact, I would say a long awaited one.

I noted in my earlier post in 2015:
"Scrum is the most used one; Kanban is being used more now; however, organizations mostly follow their way of Agile implementation. The last one is interesting! Few follow Agile or Scrum or Kanban practices by the book per se, rather it is mostly customized as per the need of the organization. "

As of 2017 end, I see the same two methods (or frameworks) are mostly used – more compared to other Agile methods. Hybrid methods, in fact, have gained more momentum. This is based on the feedback when I engage with Agile practitioners in my classes.

It’s great to see Microsoft Project supporting both – Scrum and Kanban.

How to Have Agile Features in MS Project 2016?
This feature has been released for Project Online Desktop Client – one that comes with Project Online Professional Edition. This is noted here.
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/projectsupport/2017/10/30/project-goes-agile/

Also, to have the agile features in your MS Project 2016, you need to have the right build.
Ensure that you have this build: build Version 1710 (Build 8625.2121)

This build supports Agile Features: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/office/mt465751.aspx

If you don’t have this build, the Agile features may not work.

Getting Started with Agile Methods in MS Project 2016
To get started, go to the backstage view, from where you have 3 templates.

Scrum Project template
Kanban Project template
Waterfall Project template

As we are talking of agile, you will choose between Scrum Project or Kanban Project.

Working with Scrum

In the above figure, click on Scrum Project template.
It will open up a "Sprint Planning Board" view (a new view in MSP 2016) with backlog state and other 3 default workflow states or columns.

Creating a Product Backlog
To add items to the backlog, simply click on “+ New Task” under the Backlog status. I’ve added 7 product backlog items (PBIs) into the backlog and it comes as below.

You can arrange/order the backlog items in the Sprint Planning Board.

Every iteration in Scrum is known as Sprint. At the end of a Sprint, you deliver an incremental and potentially shippable version of the product. To see the Sprints in your Scrum Project, go to Task Board Tools – Format tab – Customize – Columns: Sprint.

By default, you will have 3 sprints for your project – each with 2 weeks of duration. The current date will be taken as your start date, which you can change. The Sprints in your Planning Board will come as below.

Managing Sprints for Your Scrum Project
You can add/remove Sprints or change the duration of your Sprints. To do that, go to:
Agile Tools – Scrum tab – Views group – Manage sprints command. This will pop-up the “Manage Sprints” box.
The "Manage Sprints" box is shown below.

To add more sprints, you can give a "Custom Date". The sprints will be auto-calculated and populated in the table. To change the duration of the Sprint, use the "Length" field in the above table – to increase or decrease the length of the sprint. For this article, we will go with 3 Sprints.

Planning Your First Sprint
Next, you need to pull up the items from the Product Backlog into the Sprints.
For example, I’ve pulled 3 items from the Product Backlog and put them into Sprint 1. Both Scrum and Kanban, have just in time(JIT)/pull approach.

Resources For Your First Sprint
Next, we will have our resources for the project, which can be done with the existing commands available. To assign the resources, you have to switch to another view, i.e., Sprint Planning Sheet View. To have this view, go to:
Agile Tools – Scrum tab – Views group – Planning command.

From there, select “Sprint Planning Sheet” view. This is another new view in MS Project 2016.

After you add few resources, the view will come as shown below.

You can change the dates with start and end dates (if you need), can change the start and finish dates of your Sprint (with two new fields – Sprint Start, Sprint Finish), as well.

From the Sprint Planning Board view itself, you can directly assign resources, too. After assignment of resources and movement of the PBIs as they are executed, your “Current Sprint Board” view will look as shown below.

“Current Sprint Board” view is another new view added to MS Project 2016 to have Agile/Scrum management.

Reporting For Your Scrum Project
After you have tracked your project (you have to move the PBIs, across the columns, as you complete the items), you can generate reports. A number of reports are newly available in MS Project, which are from Reports tab. This is shown below.

From there, I’m taking the “Sprint Status” report to generate the task and work related status of Scrum Project spanning across the sprints.

I also tried with a Kanban Project and it works fine. I would expect these enhancements first.

Breaking the PBIs into tasks.
Limiting the upper work in progress limits (and lower limits) for the items in the Kanban board (or Backlog Board as MS Project calls it) for the Kanban project.
Ability to see the progress for the Backlog Items on the Sprint Planning Board (Scrum Project) and Kanban/Backlog Board (Kanban Project). Don't want to see in Timeline view - though it is helpful, too.

Nevertheless, addition of Agile Features is a great addition to MS Project. As I long time user of this software, I would say – an excellent start. Well done, MS Project Team!

Videos Courses on MS Project Agile and Hybrid-Agile:

MS Project 2016 Live Lessons:

New Course - MS Project 2016 Live Lessons

For Sample Videos on MS Project Agile:

Sample Videos - Guaranteed MSP AGILE (5 Videos)

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Wednesday, January 17, 2018

PMP Success Story: Eat, Sleep, and Drink PMP

By Karthik Hongalkar, PMP

Introduction
I work as a technical lead at Eurofins. In my day to day activities there were lot of questions asked by my manger as what are the new risks, what are the mitigation plans and many other management related question.

One person informed me to do PMP certification and many discouraged telling it is tough. It hit me hard. I have this bad habit – if someone tells it is tough then I’m game for it.

After clearing the PMP exam, I believe you really have to earn this credential.

PMP Coaching Experience
As soon as I decided to do PMP in the month of October 2017, I reached out to a provider. 28th October was the first day of class and it was led by Mr Satya Narayan Dash. Satya walked in to the class and set some ground rules - be attentive, participate in the sessions, and actively listen.

Four days of session was very informative. Satya is a master in project management. We went through each and every chapter and touched all important areas. The mock questions and answers at the end of each chapter showed us where we lack. Also, we went through some significant flows such as change requests flow and how the deliverables flow until it is being accepted – it defines the quality and in-depth knowledge of Satya.

At the end of 4th day session he gave us 30 questions. Based on the scores, we were informed how much more effort we have to put in-order to clear the exam. Satya proceeded to hand-hold us - how to plan each week, how to prepare, what to do a week before the exam, meeting the Prometric staffs, and also not to study anymore, day before exam.

I believe this was a complete session. I had attended another session of PMP before, but the class of Satya provided me the needed confidence and knowledge to give this exam.

Own Study
On the final day of the PMP session, we were provided with 30 questions which covered all knowledge areas. To be frank, I scored 12. My target of giving exam in January 2018 looked too far, as he mentioned I would require at-least 4 months of preparation with 6 hours of effort daily. But if I put in more effort, then the time will be reduced. I put out a plan of 8 hours study in a day along with my office work.

This is what I did.

Demystifying the PMBOK Guide is not easy it has to be done with some other books and then study PMBOK.
I studied Satya’s “I Want To Be PMP” initially and then covered the PMBOK guide.
After couple of rounds studying, I did all the questions from “I Want to be PMP”, Rita’s book and Christopher Scordo’s practice sets.
As Satya mentioned - do only quality questions and I stuck to these mocks.
One last free mock provided by simpli learn. I’ve tried nearly 3,000 mock questions.

Book Review - I Want To Be A PMP
The reason I bought this book, because it is really difficult to demystify the PMBOK guide. It looked very heavy to me. Another person in the class had this book and informed it is very easy to understand. As I went through this book, in fact, it was in simple English and easy to understand and had all the latest changes of PMBOK

The videos on Earned Value Management (EVM), a number of flow charts, which are really unique and help you to understand the topic in the first time itself.

It will give you many Yogic Tips, which will help you a lot during exam.

PMP Exam Experience
I scheduled my exam on 3rd January, 2018. It took a lot of courage to do it with just 2 months of hard preparation.

Strategy for exam: I blindly followed what Satya had told in the class. Taking 3-4 mins gap after 75 questions and completed my exam 15 mins ahead of schedule and took 10 mins to review my answers, which I had marked. In the remaining few minutes, I said to myself - it’s enough and submitted my answers.

After submitting the answers, it takes around 3 minutes to show the results. Believe me those 3 minutes were one of the toughest in my life. All the hard work paid off seeing “Congratulations”. It was my dream and I achieved it.

There were lot of questions on Schedule Performance Index (SPI) and Cost Performance Index (CPI). I had to tell where a project is ahead of schedule of over cost. Same questions came at least 4 times at different period in time, in different ways. I had around 15 questions related to mathematics. I didn’t have any questions on Point of Total Assumption (PTA) and To Complete Performance Index (TCPI).

Suggestions for PMP Aspirants

Please do as much quality mock exam as possible. Read all the correct and wrong answers.
Don’t mug up the Inputs, Tools and Techniques and Outputs (ITTOs). Rather understand the concept and the reason why it is there.
Read questions twice and especially the last line.

Conclusion
I want to be a better manager where people look up to me. I want to be an expert in project management. I want to enhance my carrier and move up the ladder.

Brief Profile
Karthik Hongalkar, working as a technical lead at Eurofins IT solutions for past 6 years.