A&D High Tech: Reflection on Using MS Project in Project Management

This report reflects on the student's experience using Microsoft Project (MS Project) for project management, specifically within the context of A&D High Tech. The student highlights the software's benefits in project planning, scheduling, resource allocation, and cost management. The reflection details the use of MS Project in prioritizing tasks, assigning resources, and managing project timelines. The student also discusses the software's ability to calculate variances, including planned value, earned value, and schedule/cost impacts. Furthermore, the report mentions the calculation of schedule and cost impact metrics (SV, SPI, CV, CPI), and the overall benefits derived from using MS Project, such as improved estimation, better control, and enhanced project collaboration. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of following MS Project methodologies for successful project outcomes.

Running head: REFLECTION ON USING MS PROJECT
Project Management: A&D High Tech
Name of the student:
Name of the University:

1REFLECTION ON USING MS PROJECT
Reflecting experience with MS project
In order to implement a project plan and boost up the company sales it is much crucial for
the project manager and project team members to use such small project developing software. I
think Microsoft Project is one of the most useful and suitable tool that can be used for managing
projects and track its current status. Since the launch of Microsoft Project (MS project) it is
helping the project managers to do all project related activities in terms of project tracking,
resource assigning, cost managing etc. While implementing the project plan in MS project I have
identified many benefits of this software. Project plan and schedule are debatably constitutes
many important project management stages.
The backbone of the entire project even can be formed with the help of MS project. I
have experienced that it helps to prioritize all the project activities with elimination of surprises.
All the tasks can be managed and for individual tasks different resources can also be assigned
with this MS project easily. The MS project also have calendar and as per the working cost and
hour the resources can be assigned. It also shows over allocation of cost and overrunning budget
those needs to be eliminated. I have also experienced that, Microsoft project can easily calculate
the variance from the baseline days, actual days and remaining days from the assigned duration.
I have used MS project to design the project plan completely including numbers of days,
resources and cost as well. I have seen that with the help of the MS project the project manager
will be able to keep a balance between the actual cost and planned cost. The change management
plan made certain changes in the project and thus the earned value management of the project
has also changed. The other benefits those can be also generated from the project are improved

2REFLECTION ON USING MS PROJECT
estimation, great control, easier tracking approach, better project collaboration, result
measurement and comparison as well.
From the Ms project file I have successfully calculated the planned value (PV), Earned
value-EV (BCWP), earned value ACWP, SV, EAC, BAC ad VAC also. For this specific project
the values of BCWS, ACWP, and BCWP are obtained from the PS project. Then I have
calculated the values of Schedule Impact (SV and SPI). The cost impact (CV, CPI) are also
obtained from the MS project. I have also gained the control ratio from the Microsoft Project file.
Though, project staffing and review meeting are not related to the MS project but the tracking
approach always become easier with this application, I have experienced that use of MS project
can minimize different project level activities and even in order to control the changes also MS
project is much useful. It can be said that, if all the project development phases from MS project
are professionally followed then no issues with project can occur and interrupt the expected
project outcomes.

3REFLECTION ON USING MS PROJECT
References
Hornstein, H. A. (2015). The integration of project management and organizational change
management is now a necessity. International Journal of Project Management, 33(2), 291-298.
Joslin, R., and Müller, R. (2015). Relationships between a project management methodology and
project success in different project governance contexts. International Journal of Project
Management, 33(6), 1377-1392.
Marcelino-Sádaba, S., Pérez-Ezcurdia, A., Lazcano, A. M. E., and Villanueva, P. (2014). Project
risk management methodology for small firms. International Journal of Project
Management, 32(2), 327-340.
Mir, F. A., and Pinnington, A. H. (2014). Exploring the value of project management: linking
project management performance and project success. International journal of project
management, 32(2), 202-217.