Using Excel, create a project schedule to assist in completing the project. The project schedule will need the following columns: WBS; Task #

IT Project This project simulates the Analysis and Planning needed to provide IT services for a new building. The student

must submit a Project Schedule based on the Project Requirements and details below.

1. Using Excel, create a project schedule to assist in completing the project. The project schedule will

need the following columns: WBS; Task #; Task Action; Duration; Predecessor; and Resources.

Background: The Chief Operations Officer (COO) notified IT that a new office building has been constructed,

wired and is ready for occupancy. All telecommunication cables are in place. Offices, labs and administrative

areas have wall ports that will provide access to the network once the network servers are installed. Wireless

routers are installed throughout the building to provide wireless access once the network servers are installed.

Project Specifications:

• Purchase, setup, deploy and test network servers that will be managed in the new building’s IT area.

o Setup includes loading and testing network software at corporate IT before deployment.

o Test network servers in the new building after deployment.

o NOTE: Network servers must be installed and operational before other devices can be tested

for internet and wireless connectivity.

• Purchase, setup, deploy and test Desktop PCs and Laptops in offices, labs and administrative areas.

o Setup includes loading and testing corporate software at corporate IT before deployment.

o Test all systems and ensure they can access the network once deployed.

o Test all wireless systems and ensure they can access the wireless routers.

• Purchase, deploy and test wireless Projectors.

o Test all Projectors to ensure desktops can access them via direct cabling.

o Test all Project to ensure mobile laptops can access them wirelessly.

• Purchase, deploy and test VOIP phones (they use the network to receive/generate phone calls).

o Test all phones to ensure they function properly across the network.

• Test networked Printers/Copiers once they are delivered by the lease vendor.

o Test all printers/copiers to ensure they can print documents sent across the network.

The COO has determined the following rules to facilitate occupancy:

1. IT Area is to be occupied 3 weeks before any other location.

a. Deployment and testing of network servers, desktop PC can begin then.

2. Administrative Areas are to be occupied 1 week before remaining locations.

a. Their desktop PCs and VOIP phones must be tested/operational before occupancy.

3. Conference & Meeting Rooms will open 5 days before the remaining locations.

a. Their desktop PCs, VOIP phones and wireless projectors must be tested/operational before

occupancy.

4. Offices and labs.

a. Their desktop PCs, VOIP phones and wireless projectors must be tested/operational before

occupancy.

Project Details: The new building includes the IT Area, Computer Labs, Administrative Areas, Individual

Offices, a Conference Room, and a Public Meeting Room.

IT Area: resources include

• 4 network servers

• 1 desktop PC

• 2 laptops

• 2 VOIP phones Administrative Areas: 2 administrative areas will each have

• 4 workstations, each with a desktop PC, networked via a network port

• a VOIP phone for each of the 4 workstations

• a vendor-supplied networked copier

Conference Room. The conference room has

• a wireless ceiling-mounted Projector

• network connectivity via a network cable and a wireless access point

• a VOIP phone

Meeting Room. The meeting room has

• a wireless ceiling-mounted Projector

• 1 desktop PC with network connectivity via a network cable.

• 2 VOIP phones (one near the lectern and the other wall mounted at the entrance

Individual Offices: 40 offices will each have

• a desktop PC networked via a network port

• a VOIP phone

Computer Labs: 2 computer labs will each have

• a wireless ceiling-mounted Projector

• a desktop PC, networked via a network port, and directly cabled to the Projector

• 25 desktop PCs networked via a network port

• a VOIP phone

• a vendor-supplied networked copier Personnel Assignments

PC Specialist (equipment purchase, software setup and PC support):

o purchase, setup and installation of new laptops and desktop computers and corporate software

o purchase of all projectors

o work with Network Specialist to ensure network access is available on all computers and

networked printers

Network Specialist (Telecomm support):

o setup and installation of network servers and all VOIP phones

o work with PC Specialist to ensure network access is available on all computers and networked

printers

AV Specialist (A/V requirements):

o Installation of all wireless projectors

o work with PC Specialist to ensure projectors can be accessed by appropriate computers

Take time to think about how the work of the Specialists will be conducted.

• Understand how the COO’s occupancy rules affect the schedule timeline.

o Since some locations are occupied at different times, handle the deployment and testing of

resources for each location separately (i.e. IT Area separate from Admin Area; Conference Room,

Meeting Room, etc.).

• Make sure you satisfy all project specifications plus any user requirements that are implied (as you read

through this document). As with most projects, user requirements may sometimes be missed in the written

system specifications. Hint:

o Look for a 3rd-party resource that must be tested.

o Visitors may try to connect via WIFI in break rooms, seating areas and the entryway.

• The PC Specialist, Network Specialist and AV Specialist can be completing tasks concurrently and it is quite

possible that one specialist will have to wait while another specialist completes a task.

• The schedule must have at least 40 tasks and a milestone for each event (purchase, setup, deploy and

test).

o Each resource (servers, computers, projectors and phones) must be purchased separately since

they will come from different vendors.

o Note: a single task may be used for a resource that is installed/tested at a specific time (i.e. the

testing of all computers for administrative areas can be a single task; or the testing of all

computer for the 2 computer labs can be a single task).

• Task Actions must start with a verb and describe the action (i.e. Test VOIP phones)

o Milestones do not start with verbs and have a zero duration.

• When creating the schedule, use your best guess in determining Duration.

• Resources must include the IT personnel completing the task as well as the resource.

o Do not go overboard (i.e. you do not have to research purchases or create purchase orders or

assemble the computers) – simply complete the tasks described above.

• When creating Predecessors, it is not necessary to include a task that is already a predecessor of

another task (i.e. consider the following tasks: 1: Order food, 2: Eat food, 3: Cleanup. The predecessor

for 2 is 1. The predecessor for 3 is 2 (i.e. 2 already has a predecessor of 1).

o Note: be careful about predecessors. Not only are they directly related to the tasks that

proceed them within a milestone but they may be directly related to tasks within other

milestones (example: network servers must be operational before other equipment can be

tested for network connectivity – look for other dependencies described above).

• The WBS should be completed once the schedule is in its final version.