MS Project Server

Gartner 2009 Magic Quadrant

Gartner has released its Gartner 2009 Magic Quadrant for IT Project and Portfolio Management. MS EPM solution is in the leaders section.

Query to check Projects with Special Characters

The cube build process in MS Project Server 2003 could fail due to special characters. You can use the following SQL query to look for projects with special characters in their names.

SELECT * FROM msp_web_projects
WHERE (Proj_name LIKE '%.%')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '%\%')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '%"%')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '%/%')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '%:%')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '%;%')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '%|%')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '%?%')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '%''%')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '%<%')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '%>%')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '%*%')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '%#%')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '"%')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '%"')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '''%')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '%''')
OR (Proj_name LIKE '%&%')
order by proj_name

Once you found the list, use the Rename Project tool to rename those projects. Make sure to look for any pending updates. After renaming make sure to publish those projects.

Enforcing MS Project Settings using Group Policies

Microsoft have released new contents regarding using Active Directory GPO to enforce settings. The process can be used for Microsoft Project 2007 deployment to standardize the usage of the tool.

In a MS Project Server 2007 EPM environment, there are settings your should check or uncheck based on how you are planning to use the system. Standardizing those settings make it easier from the user experience of the tool & make things easier for later issues. I'll try to cover those later sometime.

Review the following links for details.

· Enforce settings by using Group Policy in the 2007 Office system

· Group Policy overview (2007 Office)

· 2007 Office system Administrative Template files (ADM, ADMX, ADML) and Office Customization Tool updates

· Download 2007 Office system Administrative Template files (ADM, ADMX, ADML) and Office Customization Tool version 2.0

Progressive Elaboration in EPM Deployment

PMI defines “Progressive Elaboration” in PMBOK 3^rd Ed as:

“Progressive elaboration means developing in steps, and continuing by increments. For example, the project scope will be broadly described early in the project and made more explicit and detailed as the project team develops a better and more complete understanding of the objectives and deliverables. Progressive elaboration should not be confused with the scope creep.”

Any EPM project is not perfect from start to finish. One has to go through lots of challenges.

There are four key elements for any new system introduction to an environment.

1. Availability

2. Reliability

3. Security

4. Performance

One can either go through all these in one-go, provided you get the required resources or iterate through these one after another over time. With any new system, availability should come first. This makes the system visible to your community. You also get chance of incorporating their feedback (progressively elaborate). Then you progress with other options. Again you make decisions based on resources availability (not MSPS resources availabilityJ) & business demands in your organization.

In such situations your best bet is to go with “Progressive Elaboration” of your project. You start with something based on the availability of the resources. Then as the project progresses you keep on elucidating the intricacies of the system. That said you refine it over time.