Critical Success Factors for

Optimal Use of Microsoft Project

Server
Keith Wilson, PMP, B.Comm., MCT, MCTS

2014 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.

Keith Wilson, PMP, B.Comm., MCT, MCTS

Over 25 years of
Management and
Project
Management
Consulting and
Training
Experience

Proven track record with excellent results in facilitation, business

analysis, business planning, project management, and sales
Successfully implemented numerous Microsoft Enterprise Project
Management Solutions (Project Server Black Belt)
Consulted and provided Project Management services to
numerous Fortune 500 Companies, universities, and associations,
municipal, Provincial/State, Federal government in North America,
Europe, Middle East, and Japan.
Provided project management systems and support for the launch
of Microsofts Bing and MSN14.
Published author of the Project Management Play Book Its a
Team Sport
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Project Server Critical Success Factors

Streamlined tool and processes working together
Configuration / Customization specific to the organizations environment
Leverage templates for consistency, relevancy, efficiency, and data integrity
There is senior management support behind the initiative and willingness to use PWA for
Project reporting
Roles-Based Training will be important to drive use and adoption
Project Server Administrator and a Process Champion are important in order to maintain
and support the Project Management processes and tools being implemented
A Crawl-Walk-Run approach to solution rollout is acceptable and recommended, which will
foster use and adoption of the processes and tools (not trying to do too much too soon)
Ensuring all projects are built correctly and published to avoid GIGO or NINO
Project Server, Microsoft Project, PWA are registered trademarks of the
Microsoft Corporation
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Streamlined Tool and Processes Working

Together

Configuration / Customization Specific to the

Organizations Environment

Configuration / Customization Specific to the

Organizations Environment

Configuration / Customization Specific to the

Organizations Environment

Configuration / Customization Specific to the

Organizations Environment

Configuration / Customization Specific to the

Organizations Environment

Leverage Templates for Consistency, Relevancy,

Efficiency, and Data Integrity

10

Leverage Templates for Consistency, Relevancy,

Efficiency, and Data Integrity

11

There is Senior Management Support behind the Initiative

and Willingness to Use PWA for Project Reporting
This is not just endorsing the use of Project
Server but using the dashboards in executive
meetings and navigating to project sites for
insight into the projects

12

Roles-Based Training Will be Important to

Drive
Use
Adoption
The following
areand
the typical
types of Users and each should have
customized training
PWA Users
Project Executive
Portfolio Manager
Resource Manager
Team Leads
Team Members

PWA and Microsoft Project

Users
Administrators
Project Managers

13

Project Server Administrator to Maintain and

Support Project Server Configuration and Project
Server Users

14

Process Champions are Important in Order to

Maintain, Support, and Police the Project
Management Processes and Tools being
Implemented

15

A Crawl-Walk-Run Approach
Crawl
Requirements/
Configuration/Training
Getting all projects properly
built and resourced into the
DB

Walk

Run

Advanced Reporting
Implement Project Server
Server for resource
Utilize project,
allocation/utilization and costing
Program and project status
dashboard and BI reporting
and dashboard reporting
work flow

Phases of Deployment
Gather
Requirements

Configure
System

Testing
Pilot

Modify

Additional
Training
Rollout

16

Project Critical Success Factors

Streamlined tool and processes working together
Configuration / Customization specific to the organizations environment
Leverage templates for consistency, relevancy, efficiency, and data integrity
There is senior management support behind the initiative and willingness to
use PWA for Project reporting
Roles-Based Training will be important to drive use and adoption
Project Server Administrator and a Process Champion are important in order
to maintain and support the Project Management processes and tools being
implemented
A Crawl-Walk-Run approach to solution rollout is acceptable and
recommended, which will foster use and adoption of the processes and tools
(not trying to do too much too soon)
17
Ensuring all projects are built correctly and published to avoid GIGO or NINO

Thank You
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