Planning and Scheduling Using Microsoft Project 2000

Rating:
Summary: Harris Makes it Clear & Easy
Review: Paul Harris takes a pragmatic writing approach to explain how to use MS-Project. His book "Planning & Scheduling Using Microsoft Project 2000" can be used as a reference manual, as a learn-it-on-your-own guide, and as an instructor-led training book. He has Americanized the text and all workshop exercises (although I liked the Australian flavor in his prior books on SureTrak and P3).

PSUMP2000 is an extensive work. Packed with oodles of "how-to"s, tips, and warnings, Harris explains the basic and intermediate functions of using MSP, covers a majority of the functions that are available, and adds complexity gradually as the users work their way through the book's 27 detailed chapters of content and reference information. He takes some pretty complicated topics like "how duration, work, resources, and units trade-off with each other" and makes it seem like anybody can learn to use the software. In following of Microsoft's typical style, the software has many different ways to reach a single result. Harris does a good job of pointing these various approaches out to the reader.

One of the nice things about Harris books is that they are functionally organized, not by menu item. So, if you are using the book as a reference manual or help guide, it's easy to find a particular topic since you don't have to know what menu it's called up from-you just need to know the subject that you are looking for. He also provides a list of menus and related sub-menus at the beginning of most chapters for people who cannot remember how to find a particular function.

Admittedly, he did not cover every possible subject on the software or the book would be too voluminous. Intended a basic and intermediate guide on the software, the subjects of inserting hyperlinks, drawings, and workgroups; use of Microsoft's Project Central; resource leveling; Visual Basic macros; how to utilize the customizable fields; and the linking of multiple projects are not covered, but these could be addressed in a future Advanced Features supplementary volume at a later date. An appendix with a Glossary of Terms would be a nice addition. The MSP2000 software package, however, provides a decent glossary.

Having used his books for several years as training manuals for my scheduling classes, I see how effective the workshop exercises are in giving students an opportunity to practice the lessons taught by the immediately preceding text-the only way to really learn complicated software applications. The solutions to the problems may be downloaded at no cost from The Eastwood Harris website.

You may also want to check out Paul Harris' other writings on SureTrak Project Scheduler and Primavera Project Planner (P3).

Rating:
Summary: Harris Makes it Clear & Easy
Review: Paul Harris takes a pragmatic writing approach to explain how to use MS-Project. His book "Planning & Scheduling Using Microsoft Project 2000" can be used as a reference manual, as a learn-it-on-your-own guide, and as an instructor-led training book. He has Americanized the text and all workshop exercises (although I liked the Australian flavor in his prior books on SureTrak and P3).

PSUMP2000 is an extensive work. Packed with oodles of "how-to"s, tips, and warnings, Harris explains the basic and intermediate functions of using MSP, covers a majority of the functions that are available, and adds complexity gradually as the users work their way through the book's 27 detailed chapters of content and reference information. He takes some pretty complicated topics like "how duration, work, resources, and units trade-off with each other" and makes it seem like anybody can learn to use the software. In following of Microsoft's typical style, the software has many different ways to reach a single result. Harris does a good job of pointing these various approaches out to the reader.

One of the nice things about Harris books is that they are functionally organized, not by menu item. So, if you are using the book as a reference manual or help guide, it's easy to find a particular topic since you don't have to know what menu it's called up from-you just need to know the subject that you are looking for. He also provides a list of menus and related sub-menus at the beginning of most chapters for people who cannot remember how to find a particular function.

Admittedly, he did not cover every possible subject on the software or the book would be too voluminous. Intended a basic and intermediate guide on the software, the subjects of inserting hyperlinks, drawings, and workgroups; use of Microsoft's Project Central; resource leveling; Visual Basic macros; how to utilize the customizable fields; and the linking of multiple projects are not covered, but these could be addressed in a future Advanced Features supplementary volume at a later date. An appendix with a Glossary of Terms would be a nice addition. The MSP2000 software package, however, provides a decent glossary.

Having used his books for several years as training manuals for my scheduling classes, I see how effective the workshop exercises are in giving students an opportunity to practice the lessons taught by the immediately preceding text-the only way to really learn complicated software applications. The solutions to the problems may be downloaded at no cost from The Eastwood Harris website.

You may also want to check out Paul Harris' other writings on SureTrak Project Scheduler and Primavera Project Planner (P3).