Datasheet

Book X
Chapter 1
Understanding
Project Server
Planning the Implementation of Project Server
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The team must evaluate the organization’s technology environment because
Project Server requires certain software, and the hardware that you use
affects the performance of Project Server.
The requirements definition might highlight some special needs. For exam-
ple, your organization might want to use Windows SharePoint Services,
which comes with Project Server, to build and maintain document libraries
for projects and deal with issues in a collaborative way.
The team should customize the Enterprise Global template to reflect the
standards of your organization so that everyone uses the same terminology
and applies the same processes and procedures to their projects. In the
Enterprise Global template, you can create custom fields, outline codes,
views, and calendars. The team can also set up the Enterprise Resource Pool
so that your organization can share resources between projects and identify
conflicts between assignments in different projects.
We can’t stress strongly enough how important training is. Suffice it to say
that without proper training for those who will use Project Server, implemen-
tation will fail.
Developing an implementation strategy
Because the scope of implementing enterprise project management affects
your entire organization, doing it “all at once” is very risky. Using a phased
approach reduces the risk considerably and increases your chances for
success.
Start by creating a prototype of the system. Identify a few projects and proj-
ect teams to participate in the prototype test, making sure that you select
users who represent all the various roles that the team identified so that you
can fully test the system. Also, select projects that don’t depend on other
projects that won’t be a part of the prototype. Design and develop the proto-
type system and demonstrate it to the project teams that will use it. Make
modifications to the prototype design based on input from these project
teams and demonstrate the prototype to senior management, once again,
making changes as needed.
Then develop training materials and begin a pilot phase. Reset the Project
Server database and load the pilot projects that include users who represent
all the various roles that the team identified. During this pilot phase, you
should include at least one project that has external dependencies to another
project to test that aspect of using Project Server, and then you can make
adjustments as needed. Train the pilot group and allow the group members
to use Project Server for at least four reporting cycles. Solicit feedback and
address all the issues that arise.
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