Projects created with ConceptDraw Project consist of tasks. A task implies actions having their start and finish.
Management of tasks in ConceptDraw Project can be carried out in several ways:
For creating a unique product, service, research (some result of a project) it is necessary to solve a sequence of tasks. Project planning consists of estimating schedule times and costs of these tasks precisely enough. The more precisely this estimation is, the higher the quality of the project planning is.
Creating a task consist of several stages. Some tasks appear at once as a result of the initial idea, others take their shapes during project developing.
After a final wording of a task it is introduced into the project.
To create a task in ConceptDraw Project the following steps are made:
Step 1. Select
the Insert new task option in the menu
Tasks and click it.
A new project task is added to the list of tasks in the Gantt
Chart window.
Step 2. Choose the Task Information
option in the Tasks menu and click it.
The Task Information dialogue appears on the
screen.
Step 3. In the General tab of the Task Information dialogue the following information on a project task is entered:
Step 4. In the Resources tab of the Task Information dialogue the information about resources assigned for the current project task is entered.
Step 5. In the Notes tab of the Task Information dialogue the additional information about the project task is entered.
Note: Click the right button of the mouse for alternative calling the contextual Tasks menu and choose the Task Information dialogue option there.
To delete a project task:
In ConceptDraw Project tasks have hierarchy.
They
are divided into phases and tasks. Some problems are usually grouped in
phases.
The phase has a higher level of hierarchy than a task included
in it.
Moving tasks from a higher level of hierarchy to a lower level
is carried out by means of a choice of the Task Indent
option in the in the Tasks menu or in the contextual
Tasks menu.
You see the image of the tasks table
before applying the Task Indent option.
The image of the tasks table after
applying the Task Indent option.
You see that tasks Task 2 and Task 3 became subtasks of Task 1. And the task Task 1 has turned into a phase.
Moving tasks from a lower level of hierarchy to a higher level is carried out by means of a choice of the Task Outdent option in the Tasks menu or in the contextual Tasks menu called by clicking the right mouse button. Thus a ConceptDraw Project task becomes a phase if it comprises subtasks, or remains a task, but gets a higher status.
While developing a project some tasks are coming forth because of their importance in this project. They can finish a project phase, i.e. its significant stage. Such tasks are referred to as milestones.
A Milestone is a reference point marking an important event in a project and used for controlling the course of fulfilling a project. Any task with zero duration is automatically displayed as a milestone. However there is a possibility to mark as a milestone any task with any duration.
To assign a project task a milestone:
The task which
becomes a milestone is marked with a rhombus on a Gantt's
Chart.
Some tasks are very critical for a project, i.e. they cause the failure to carry out other project tasks. They should be singled out especially.
In ConceptDraw Project marking critical project tasks has been foreseen by means of assigning a deadline.
To fix a deadline:
To fix a deadline alternatively:
In the Tasks menu near the
Deadline item a mark will also appear.
To cancel a task deadline:
The mark will be removed from the Deadline item in the Task menu as well as from the Gantt's chart.
Developing a project is a creative work of its founder. While refinement of a project its tasks are specified and detailed, depending on arising factors of our real life. Tasks may undergo modifications, change the dependence on other tasks, etc. ConceptDraw Project foresees such situation in the course of developing projects and lets change tasks properties and the project as a whole easily.
Changing tasks properties can be effected from various application windows.
All task properties can be changed in the Task Information dialogue. This dialogue can be called using the item Task Information in the Tasks menu.
In any graphic presentations of a project there is a possibility to call the Task properties dialogue by means a double-clique of the mouse on tasks or from the Tasks contextual menu. Properties of any task can be changed using the Project Assistant and its Task Information box.
Resources are workers, equipment and the materials used for fulfilling tasks in a project.
In ConceptDraw Project each project task should be assigned resources from those ones available in the project. Assigning resources is required for defining who must fulfil these tasks and who is responsible for their fulfillment. Assigning resources also helps to determine what time is needed for working over a task and (if costs are traced) what costs are needed.
Assigning resources is made in the Resources box of the Task Information dialogue(menu item Assign Resources to Task).
Step 1. Select Assign
Resources to Task and click it. The
Resources box with the Resources table
appears.
Resources have the following parameters to be entered:
Step 2.
a) Choose the resource relating to the
project task or its phase in the Resources message
box and click it. A check box appears.
b) Click the
Resource check box to assign a resource to a task.
c)
Define resource units (the default value is 100 %)
d) Click
OK
The selected resource will be linked to the selected task or a phase of the project.