Free Critical Path and Float Calculation Worksheet

Critical Path Float Calculation Worksheet

The number one search on the Critical Path website is for a Critical Path and Float worksheet.  Though you should be using software to calculate a critical path, if it is mission critical, it is important to understand the concept for the PMP exam. Rather then go into the specifics on how to calculate the critical path and float in this post, I'll merely say a free worksheet template  and PowerPoint presentation are available and you can download them at any time. (see links below)

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Remember the Critical Path tells you the activities that can not slip a day without increasing the total duration of the project or moving the project completion date. It is the longest path of logically related activities through the network which cannot slip without impacting the total project duration, termed zero float.

Free Meeting Minutes Template

Click here to download the Meeting Minutes Template

Back in March, I wrote a post about helpful tips for running a meeting.  With it was a free copy of my meeting minutes template.  Here is a brief refresher when hosting a meeting: [1] Write out the purpose of the meeting with actionable events in mind. e.g. “Provide an updated status, identifying risks and opportunities, and identify new action items.”

[2] Identify your attendee list but only keep those you can map to the actionable events listed in step 1.  There is a difference between an attendee list and a communications distribution list.

[3] Create an agenda.  Do not ever arrange a meeting without a written agenda.  Your meeting will suffer scope creep in the worst possible way.

[4] Identify who will run the meeting and who will take notes.  It should not be the same person.

[5] Ensure discussion points align to the agenda.  If they don’t, recommend taking the topic to another forum.

[6] End the meeting by having the note taker read back the discussion points and the understood action items.

[7] Send out the meeting minutes within one to two days.

Please note I don't recommend using this for a Daily Scrum or Stand Up Meeting.

Free COTS Package Evaluation Template

COTS Product Evaluation Template

At my last assignment, I was asked to compare 3 vendors and make a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) product recommendation to the client.  The client knew their budget and products they wanted evaluated.  They didn't know if the product capabilities were all marketing hype or if the products would indeed meet their needs. When doing a product evaluation, I tell the customer they must help me do the following  [1] List the specific business requirement(s) that must be satisfied by the COTS package.[2] List the specific business data or information requirement(s) that the COTS package will need to support. [3] List the strategic and performance plans that must be met by the COTS package.  [4] List the practices and processes the COTS package will compliment.

By detailing the information above, it demonstrates the requester thoroughly understands their needs.

The customer must then answer 2 critical questions that will impact the total cost of the implementation:

[1] Does the COTS package need to be modified to work with current practices and processes?

[2] Do practices and processes have to be modified to work with the COTS package?

Some companies believe if you throw enough money at something, you can fix a problem.  Spending a lot of money on a product to "fix" a bad business process just means you spent a lot of money and still have a bad business process.

The last thing you do is create a capability matrix to do a side-by-side comparison of products.  Don't paint yourself into a corner!  Make sure you complete the Package Evaluation first so the details are available for others to review later.  Give your stakeholders the facts. Enjoy this free copy of my COTS Package Evaluation Template.

Free Total Project Status Report Template

TPS Report

As I study the collection and reporting of metrics and project statuses, I find many reports just do not deliver what they should. I believe there should be a stand-alone deliverable that a project manager is able to provide to a stakeholder at any time, illustrating the total project status.  I created a report and used the name "TPS Report" from the movie Office Space.  I try to interject a little humor into a project, where I can, without raising too many eyebrows.  Because I do not think I should keep all of the good stuff for myself, I hope others will download my free template.  It captures everything from overall project status to schedule, budget, scope, and quality, including a RAG (Red, Amber or Green) status.  What milestones were planned and accomplished?  What is planned for the next period?  Though I believe a subjective narrative does have its place in project reporting, I like the more objective approach.  Give your stakeholders the facts!Please enjoy this free copy of  my Total Project Status Report Template.

Free Communications Management Plan Template

I participated in a Communication Working Group session for the PMO today. Imagine a dozen people sitting around a table laughing for 10 minutes, when they realized I had shaved off my goatee. After the excitement subsided, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work. It was really quite refreshing to see how excited everyone was to be there. (We only had 4 people for the prior meeting) Ishikawa diagrams littered the walls and the smell of Scripto markers filled the air. I can't stress enough how important it is to have a Communications Management Plan.  Feel free to download my template.  If not, I recommend following the next 7 steps to write your own.

1. List the project stakeholders and their associated roles and responsibilities
2. Specify contact information for each stakeholder
3. For each stakeholder identified, specify the information required to keep stakeholders informed and enable them to fulfill their project roles and responsibilities. Also, specify the timeframe, frequency, or trigger for distribution of the information.
4. List the information that must be collected, summarized, and reported in order to produce the communication outputs that fulfill the stakeholder information requirements. Specify the associated collection and reporting details.
5. List each report or document to be produced and distributed as a communication output to fulfill the stakeholder information requirements. Specify the associated distribution, storage, and disposition details.
6. List and describe the distribution groups that will be used to distribute project information.
7. Last, define all terms and acronyms required to interpret the Communication Management Plan properly.

Helpful Hints For Project Meetings

People generally go to meetings because they are asked to attend. With a simple click of the mouse, they accept. Rarely do they respond to your request with the why did you invite me question. Some accept and just don't show up. These are contributing factors that sway a meeting from productive to unproductive.  I sometimes see people go an entire day and only attend meetings. When do they get actual work done? We all know that answer. Here are a few helpful hints for the next meeting you organize. [1] Write out the purpose of the meeting with actionable events in mind. e.g. "Provide an updated status, identifying risks and opportunities, and identify new action items."

[2] Identify your attendee list but only keep those you can map to the actionable events listed in step 1.  There is a difference between an attendee list and a communications distribution list.

[3] Create an agenda.  Do not ever arrange a meeting without a written agenda.  Your meeting will suffer scope creep in the worst possible way.

[4] Identify who will run the meeting and who will take notes.  It should not be the same person.

[5] Circulate the completed agenda and collateral documentation prior to the meeting.  Have some on hand in the event people don't bring their own copies to the meeting.

[6] Provide different means of attending the meeting.  e.g. In person, via telephone, via web meeting.

[7] Start every meeting on time.  If you don't start on time, how do you expect to finish on time?

[8] Ensure discussion points align to the agenda.  If they don't, recommend taking the topic to another forum.

[9] End the meeting by having the note taker read back the discussion points and the understood action items.

[10] Send out the meeting minutes within one to two days.

Here are a few helpful hints for the next meeting you are invited to or attend. [1] Upon receiving an invitation, ask yourself if it is really necessary to attend this meeting.  It could be you just need to be kept informed.  Ask to be included on the meeting minutes distribution list rather then attending.

[2] If you are going to attend, arrive on time!  It is rude to walk into a meeting after it has started.  Have a little respect for the other attendees.  They found it important enough to arrive on time, why can't you?

[3] Know which agenda items pertain to you prior to coming to the meeting.  Be prepared.

[4] Verify the published meeting minutes for accuracy.

I hope this helps you get the most out of your project meetings.  As an added bonus, I am including a link to my free Meeting Minutes Template.  You can also find it by navigating to my Free PM Templates page.

I welcome your feedback and suggestions.

Regards,

Derek

Free Lessons Learned Template

It is not important that you call it a Lessons Learned or a Postmortem. What is important is you learn from your mistakes. At the end of every iteration or project, you should identify everything that went wrong or could have gone better. Articulate them in a document. At the beginning of each new iteration or project, review the document and see not only what was learned but what has been implemented. Feel free to download my free Lessons Learned [Template]

Using Project Management Templates

At my last engagement, there was a lack of matured documented process.  I'm all about process. If you have good process, quality results will follow.   People sometimes don't understand that if a documented process does not provide value to the project, you should not do it.  Consistently use proven templates, processes, and methodologies to refine your project management approach. Templates are mere tools in a toolbox.  Again, only use the ones that provide value to the project.  I once had a Product Manager voice her frustration because she was told to complete ALL of the project templates in the repository, after the project was in a later phase.  My response was to weigh the cost (time) of completing the templates against the benefits gained by them.  The benefits are traditionally lower risk or higher customer satisfaction.  In this case, it was neither.  If anything, there should have been Lessons Learned or Postmortem document that would have identified the gaps or overlaps of the documentation.

To assist readers of my blog, I'm going to start uploading templates I've used at previous engagements.  They are free of change and will fall under public domain.  You'll find them by selecting Free PM Templates or locating the link in the right navigation menu.