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PC304. Upgrading to Project Server 2013. Dan Smith – Deputy CIO Aaron Ott – Windows Administrator Marquette University. Agenda. Where we Started How we use Project Server Reasons for Project Server 2013 Technical Upgrade Functional Improvements Workflow Issues and Challenges.
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PC304 Upgrading to Project Server 2013 Dan Smith – Deputy CIO Aaron Ott – Windows Administrator Marquette University
Agenda • Where we Started • How we use Project Server • Reasons for Project Server 2013 • Technical Upgrade • Functional Improvements • Workflow • Issues and Challenges
UNIVERSITY Stats • Approximately11,000 students • 2,500 faculty and staff • Centralized IT Services staff size of ~80 FTE • 6 full time PM’s that report to the PMO • Standardized on Project Server 2013 • SharePoint, MS Excel & Word Templates • Approx. 15% IT Projects, 85% Institutional
The Start • Project Center • Project Server 2007 • Only in progress projects • Project Server 2010 • All projects • All project information
Hope is NOT a Strategy • Project Management requires adherence to a well-defined process • Tracking against a schedule is necessary, but not sufficient • Cost, Schedule, and Performance are inseparable • Communication is the #1 success factor
Marquette Best Practices • Use of templates for • Project Plan • Budget • Use of Project Server • Standardizes many aspects of project mechanics • PM Training (in house and external) • PM incentive to obtain PMP
Project Management Plan vs. Schedule • Project Management Plan (PMI, PMBOK®) • A formal, approved document that defines how the project is executed, monitored and controlled. It may be summary or detailed and may be composed of one or more subsidiary management plans and other planning documents • Project Schedule • Listing of project tasks which attempts to model the project and predict the future
Elements of the Plan • Project scope and objectives • Start-up plan • Project Tracking Plan • Budget Control • Issue Control • Reporting • Project Metrics • Risk Management Plan • Communication Plan • Closure plan
How we use Project Server • Publish Projects • Collect project information • Collect task information via the Web • Views make lists very usable • Make great use of lists • Issues • Risks • Communications plan • Change orders • Project Workspaces • Single place for all project information • Document Management • Prevent stepping on others changes • Version control • Manage Issues and Risks • Defined attributes • Can be linked to specific tasks
Project Mechanics • All Project Managers are expected to abide by: • Project Plan completed as necessary • Detailed project schedule developed, with resources assigned, and published to Project Server • Project schedule updated at least weekly with current status • Documents associated with the project posted to Project Server • Project issues and risks entered into Project Server • Weekly project status reports submitted on all active projects
What is an Issue? • Something that is or will stop forward movement • A problem • A decision that needs to be made • A question that needs to be answered • When do we need to log it in Project Server • Open for greater than 1 business day • Cross functional – need to involve others for resolution
Issue Attributes Status (1) Active (2) Postponed (3) Closed Category (O) Request for Change -- Out of Scope (R) Request for Change -- In Scope (Q) Question or Concern (I) Other Priority (0) Blocking (1) High (2) Medium (3) Low Post Project Closure Closure not approved yet (T) Project Team (P) Project Manager (G) PM Working Group (S) Steering Committee
Finance Needs Solution Short term Needs a “Projects Database” Needs project rational in a common format Needs budgets in a consistent format Needs better more timely budget forecasts Longer term Needs a better way to prioritize projects Project Server Project Server UMT 360 UMT 360 Project Server
Two Major Initiatives • Collect Project Information • Common format • Retain Historical information • Document approval • Reporting • Project Selection Recommendation • Provide for a more visible and transparent process
UMT 360 • Allowed to track budget in Project Financial Server • Facilitates forecasting • Tracking actuals • Seamless integration in Project Server
Reasons to Upgrade • Improved performance • Browser support • Improved workflow • OneNotenotebook • Improved client • Client reporting • Project timeline Web part • Database consolidation
Project Server 2010 Environment • Single App/Web server • SQL backend • 3rd party portfolio management app with custom workflow
Target Environment • Multi-tiered farm • Better (virtual) hardware • Upgraded SQL backend • Latest Windows OS • Latest Cumulative Update • Latest release of 3rd party portfolio management app • Migrate workflow from 3rd party to native workflow
Preparation • Lots of reading on Technet, blogs, Social forums • Lots of test VMs • Notes (lot of them) • Inventory your current environment • Lots of practice upgrades • More practice upgrades • Take more notes
More ways to prepare • Microsoft TAPs & RDPs • Use OneNote to track everything • Create your own installation guide • Create your own upgrade guide • Try to break your builds
Upgrade Execution Plan • Coordinate with teams • What the upgrade means to a PM and projects • What happens to PWA 2010? • How do PMs get to upgraded PWA? • Double-check target farm, notes, everything • What if it all blows up?
Upgrade Execution • BACKUPS • Begin upgrade process • PWA and project sites take a while • Check logs constantly • Migrate what needs to be migrated
Post Upgrade • Test everything • Release to users • Something will probably break • Keep checking logs • Keep checking farm performance • Keep your test environment
Workflow Improvement • Easy to setup using SharePoint designer • More options for e-mail notifications • Can use workflow in other SharePoint environments
Reporting • SQL Reporting Services
Integration with Oracle Financials Budgets Project Server Oracle EBS Actuals Project Budgets Forecasts Actuals Reports
Issues/Comments • Converted Project Sites or using Custom Templates • Notebooks do not light up automatically • Deliverables Web part does not look correct • Changing e-mail recipients in Workflow • Default workflow task list did not work • Required fields do not work as expected with Workflow (DCR)
Challenges • Other departments adapting to a PM methodology • We need to get the data to be trusted • Project Prioritization • Started to use the tool this FY for the first time • Establish committee • Redefining drivers to align with Strategic Plan • Discussing how to handle maintenance projects vs “new” projects
Closing Thoughts • Project Server provides great collaborative environment • Great value to have all projects in one place for capital projects • In place archiving • PMs can run more simultaneous projects • No specific tool is a panacea • Cultural change more of a challenge than technology change
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