Project 2010 in easy steps

Microsoft Project 2010 is an excellent project planning, scheduling and control tool. In addition to some significant enhancements to its functionality, this release brings Project into line with the other Microsoft Office applications by introducing the fluent user interface (ribbon) and backstage (file) view. Project 2010 In Easy Steps will quickly get you making use of the powerful features of the product. It also includes a number of key project management concepts to ensure that your project is successful.

Beginning with first principles, the book sets out the right way to start a project and develop the project plan. It shows you how to break a project down into tasks that can then be scheduled and allocated to resources. These can then be tracked and controlled to completion. It explains the different types of task dependencies and how to use them to make sure things happen when they are needed. For medium to larger projects it shows you how to structure your project for success.

Projects are carried out by people and other resources and this book shows you how to allocate and control the resources on your project, tracking holidays, vacations and other staff absences. It also shows you how to track resource and other costs so that you can stay in full financial control of your project.

Finally viewing and communicating information about your project in a timely way to the project stakeholders is also critical to success and this book shows you how to do it in the most effective way.

John Carroll is a project management consultant with many years experience of managing projects both large and small. Based in the UK and Ireland he has also run projects throughout Europe and the United States. His experience covers most types of organisations including government, higher education, manufacturing industries, pharmaceuticals, software development and the emergency services. He has worked on most types of projects and trained project managers in many different organisations.