Planning and Scheduling Using Microsoft Office Project 2007

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An accurate and maintainable project plan is critical for project success. Paul Harris has created a book that not only introduces a very powerful Project Management tool, Microsoft Project 2007, and he also provides the steps to ensure that a plan is created that is accurate and maintainable!!. The guidance in the book stresses the importance of setting up MS Project first before entering a plan by explaining how some of the subtle and critical settings influence the use of the product. In addition, Paul has provided a single example project that is developed through a series of workshops. Each workshop includes a set of correct answers and screen shots to confirm the correct use and understanding of the way MS Project helps project managers manage their planning data. The screen shots are carefully crafted to communicate each step of the way supported by text that is clear and written for the project manager in their language. I highly recommend the book as the basis for learning Microsoft Project in a workshop training or individual study environment. Bruce McNaughton Director, Customer Driven Solutions Limited http://www.process-aide.com or http://www.processassets.com Microsoft's latest upgrade to Microsoft Project is out--and so is Paul Harris' venerable user's reference and guide. An upgrade from Harris' previous book on Microsoft(R) Project 2003, this book addresses the latest features and carry-over functions of Microsoft's latest release to the project management public. Sustaining his clear and concise manner of writing, Harris explains the basic and intermediate functions, both new and carry-over, of using Microsoft(R) Project. The book covers most available functions and features, and adds complexity gradually and palatably as the users work their way through the book's 24 detailed chapters of content and reference information. Like the MS Project 2003, 2002, and 2000 books, Harris 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. Although Microsoft's style is to equip the software with different ways to reach a single result, Harris does a very good job of pointing out these various approaches to the reader easing one's learning curve. Harris' books continue to be 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 which menu the function is called up from--you just need to know the subject that you are looking for. The detailed index at the back is thorough and handy. Harris also provides a list of menus and related sub-menus at the beginning of most chapters for people who cannot remember how to find or use a particular function. Having used his books for several years as training manuals for my own 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. Once again, Paul Harris has succeeded in explaining how to use Microsoft(R) Project 2007--not an easy feat. A. Larry Aaron CCE President, T&M Concepts Las Vegas, NV www.tandmconcepts.com