The Dynamic Sector Newsletter

Office Tips & Tricks

Microsoft Project Plans: How do I get started?
by Linda Swanton, Application Specialist

An Enterprise (Gerry's reference to Cpt. Kirk, of course) does not get into space without a plan. Turning a vision into a completed object requires a plan, and MS Project is a great tool for creating a schedule for turning a vision into a widget, and tracking progress to that goal.

A project plan answers questions like: "How will we achieve our objectives?" "Who does what?" "What happens first?" "Next?" And as you progress, can help with "Are we on course?" and "How far off course are we, now?"

Before a project schedule can even be developed, documents such as project charter, risk assessments, communication plan, etc. should be thought through. This article assumes you know about those. Our focus here is using MS Project to create the schedule components of the project plan. MS Project documents and tracks work to be performed over time. There are four areas of this program I like to see filled out before the tasks and resources are entered and organized:
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First, you should fill in the MS Project Properties dialog box. (File | Properties). The information entered here shows up in a number of views and reports.

Second, enter the Start or Finish date (in Project | Project Information). You can't set both. What we have discovered from experience is that MS Project tends to work best with a firm start date. From there you can manage the end date. (Part of the "manage" in project management.) It's important to set this parameter before you jump into the planning part since it sets the foundation for your project. It can be changed if needed, but there are other tools in the program that are better used for this kind of contingency.

Third, set up the calendar for the project. (Tools | Change Working Time...). Setting up the statutory holidays and the project working times gives MS Project a framework for more accurate calculating when tasks will be done across time.

Fourth, use the Tools | Options dialog box to set the defaults you would like the program to use for your project. Some of the places where changes can be made are on the Schedule tab, the View tab, the Edit tab, the Calendar tab.

Now you can start entering your tasks, resources, and dependencies. This takes the form of a Work Breakdown Structure, another Project Management concept.

These steps will help ensure that your project plan, and your project, gets off to a great start.

For our next MS Project course offering, click here.
 

To register for Courses click the links below. If you are part of the broader Public Sector, use the Public Sector link:

MS Office Courses:
Public Sector         Private Sector

eLearning Courses:
Public Sector        Private Sector

Complete Course Listing:
Public Sector        Private Sector

Strategic Education

Web Conferencing: a Growing Field.

Good news for those who are looking at web-based delivery solutions for training, meeting, and staying in touch. This is a growing area for a variety of reasons, and as it grows, so will your choices.

According to the Gartner Group (October 31, 2008): "Rising fuel costs, a slowing economy, and a rising concern for the environment have all attributed to the success of web conferencing and other online collaboration technologies...This is the fifth consecutive year that the market has exhibited greater than 20 per cent growth year-on-year as more organizations have moved from an experimental phase to a richer experience and engagement phase of use."

Please click here to respond to our 10-minute "On-line Learning" Survey.

News & Announcements

Gerry Elected to the Chamber Board
Thank you to all those Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce members who voted for Gerry Brimacombe. He is now on the Board and very excited to see where he can contribute to business success in this fair city!

Half-Day Innovation Workshop
We are now offering the half-day version of the world-class DIcor innovation workshop for teams of 12 or more people. You complete the 10-minute VIEW Assessment of Problem-Solving Style before the course, and in a 3-hour session we present your individual and team results and specific, practical recommendations to improve collaboration and innovation. For more information see here.

25th Anniversary Party 11/25
Yes, it is our 25th Anniversary this year - Sector was established in 1983 and is going strong in 2008! We are having an exclusive, by invitation, Anniversary Party on November 25th. We have had many open-house parties, and will have more, but decided to focus the attendee list this time to key current clients and decision-makers. If you did not receive an invitation, it was probably an oversight on our part - please email Terri (terri@sectorlearning.com) to enquire.

Current Contracts
We're working on some cool projects...here's a quick list of what we are up to!

* Victoria Real Estate Board: course delivery for new Matrix (r) MLS system

* ARES: elearning development for a custom system

* OCIO: curriculum and elearning development, Advanced Collaboration & Communication tool training and consulting (Vista Groove, Communicator, OneNote, LiveMeeting, Office 2007)

* Community Living BC: learning consulting and elearning development

* Public Service Agency: SharePoint site development

* Ministry of Environment: SharePoint site development

* Ministry of Tourism Culture and the Arts: Upgrade 2.0 Vista and Office 2007 training

* Ministry of Finance: Upgrade 2.0 Vista and Office 2007 training

Looking for Instructors and Consultants
If you know of any instructors or curriculum developers who want full-time or contract work, please have them send a resume to HR@sectorlearning.com.

Humour & Diversions

The Wisdom of Children
A teacher forwarded this list of comments from test papers, essays, etc., submitted to science and health teachers by elementary, junior high, high school, and college students. As she noted, "It is truly astonishing what weird science our young scholars can create under the pressures of time and grades."

"The body consists of three parts - the branium, the borax, and the abominable cavity. The branium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abominable cavity contains the bowels, of which there are five - a, e, i, o, and u."

"H2O is hot water, and CO2 is cold water."

"When you smell an oderless gas, it is probably carbon monoxide."

"Three kinds of blood vessels are arteries, vanes and caterpillars."

"Respiration is composed of two acts, first inspiration, and then expectoration."

"The moon is a planet just like the earth, only it is even deader."

"A super saturated solution is one that holds more than it can hold."

"Mushrooms always grow in damp places and so they look like umbrellas."

"The pistol of a flower is its only protections agenst insects."

"The skeleton is what is left after the insides have been taken out and the outsides have ben taken off."

"A fossil is an extinct animal. The older it is, the more extinct it is."
"To keep milk from turning sour: Keep it in the cow."

Special Offer to Newsletter Readers

Innovation Workshop 2-for-1 Registration

We will be offering another "open registration" Innovation Workshop in January 2009. Price for this powerful day of Innovation and Creative Problem Solving education and personal insights will be $325 per person.

In order to kick-start this event, we would like to pre-register interested parties. Please click here to waitlist for this course, and for everyone who registers and pays prior to November 25, 2008, you can bring a second person from your organization at no additional charge. This 2-for-1 deal is not advertised anywhere else, but feel free to forward this to friends and colleagues who may be interested!
 
If you would like to book an Innovation Workshop dedicated to your organization - a powerful tool to enhance teamwork and creativity - please see here or contact Gerry (gerry@sectorlearning.com) for more information.

Click for course details:

1 day Innovation Workshop
Half-day Innovation Workshop

Community & Partnerships

And on a Positive Note...

2nd Annual "Bandit Benefit" Chili Supper

As Christmas approaches and we have so much in our lives, our thoughts turn to those who have less. This year, Sector staff will be having an "un-Christmas Party" in January, and again will be collecting to give to those less fortunate.

You may also remember, at about this time last year, we announced the "Bandit Benefit Chili Supper". I am happy to announce the resilient and creative mastermind of that project, Eric Raschig, is working on the Second Annual event! What's more, Eric's band, The Turnpike Bandits (with band members Shane Hunt, Luke "Love" Phillips, Matt Stockman and Greig Martin), have volunteered to organize and play at a fundraiser for the Mustard Seed as well.

Here's the scoop from the band's Facebook site:
 

Fundraiser for Victoria's Mustard Seed
Help those who help others...

This is a fundraiser for the Mustard Seed of Victoria.... please come on out and support yet another great organization that helps the people of Victoria, BC. There will be other acts to open and The Turnpike Bandits will tear it up and close the show! See ya'll there!

December 12, 2008 from 7:30-11:30pm
The Victoria Edelweiss Club, 108 Niagara Street, Victoria, BC

2nd Annual Bandit Benefit Chili supper
Spread a little light at Christmas and help us support our community!

This is our 2nd annual Bandit Benefit chili supper for the homeless, struggling families, and impoverished of Victoria. This year we are going to have a great line up of guest performers including the "clover point drifters", a home cooked chili supper, coffee and treats for all to enjoy! The Turnpike Bandits will be teaming up again with some of the same local companies that helped us last year feed close to 600 people! We hope to feed even more people this year. Please keep your eye on the Times Colonist for a full list of our sponsors in the very near future as without them this would not be possible... please come on out and help support those who are in need of a helping hand during a season that for some is dark and lonely. And enjoy some down home cooking and foot stompin good time music!

December 13, 2008 from 1:30-4:30pm
Victoria Cool Aid society, 755 Pandora, Victoria

Volunteers and donations for both events are coordinated by Eric Raschig (theturnpikebandits.tpb@gmail.com). For more information about the Turnpike Bandits and their upcoming CD release, see http://www.myspace.com/theturnpikebandits13.

Sector's Purpose: We build human capability to produce positive change in organizations and the world.

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