Is Project useful even on personal level?

[me]

Would using something like Project be overkill for
planning personal projects such as moving, college,
etc?

 

[Jack Dahlgren]

In my opinion, yes. I am not saying it would not be useful, but most people
can manage personal activities without using Project. I can't think of any
personal project I have done which would have been better if I used Project
to help me plan it.

-Jack Dahlgren

 

[me]

In my opinion, yes. I am not saying it would not be useful, but most people

can manage personal activities without using Project. I can't think of any
personal project I have done which would have been better if I used Project
to help me plan it.

Ok just curious if it worth the time and trouble
"learning" Project for such personal endeavors.

So in your mind a simple excel list or word "list" is
just as good for planning pers projects?

Or maybe even mind mapping software is better for
planning?

 

[Jack Dahlgren]

I think mind mapping software may be more useful from a personal standpoint.
Just my opinion though.

-Jack

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Just my 2cts worth.
Whenever I personally have to produce something that requires say 20 tasks
or more, tasks that are interrelated, I enter the little plan in Project.
Having and knowing the product I would be a fool not to use its power; I
know Project better than Excel so why skhould I be satisfied with a simple
list when I can have a real help in scheduling my tasks and their
priorities?

So yes, it is very useful for that.

But wait a second, buying it and learning it just for that is a different
matter... that dependson the complexity of the "one man projects" you habve
to run!

Hope this helps,

 

[davegb]

Would using something like Project be overkill for
planning personal projects such as moving, college,
etc?

Depends. Would I buy Project for such things? absolutely not. Both the
cost and the learning time are just not worth it. OTOH, if I wanted to
learn Project to use it for larger projects, using it first to plan a
move or other major personal project would be a very good way to learn
it. I've given homework assignments to students to do just that. I've
had them plan trips, home renovations, etc and it worked quite well.
Of course, they weren't learning the full depth of Project at that
stage, but it helped them to understand the basics of Project and
scheduling.

Hope this helps in your world.

 

[me]

But wait a second, buying it and learning it just for that is a different

matter... that dependson the complexity of the "one man projects" you habve
to run!

Agree

But you have to start somewhere right?

So its a toss up of buying Project or some kind of mind
mapping software and starting fresh with one of them.

What would be your choice?

Also.... learning and using it on a personal level may
pay off for me at work someday since I would already
know how to us it. Yes?

 

[davegb]

Agree

But you have to start somewhere right?

So its a toss up of buying Project or some kind of mind
mapping software and starting fresh with one of them.

Not hardly. Anyone can learn how to use Mind Mapping software in an
afternoon. If you don't know anything about scheduling, Project can
take years to fully understand. I'm still learning about it and I've
been consulting and teaching it for 16 years now. Not to mention about
a $700 price difference.

What would be your choice?

Also.... learning and using it on a personal level may
pay off for me at work someday since I would already
know how to us it. Yes?

True for both.

 

[me]

Not hardly. Anyone can learn how to use Mind Mapping software in an

afternoon. If you don't know anything about scheduling, Project can
take years to fully understand. I'm still learning about it and I've
been consulting and teaching it for 16 years now. Not to mention about
a $700 price difference.

Ahh.... ok...sounds like mind mapping software would be
a better fit for me....at this level anyway.

I didn't realize Project was THAT involved

 

[Mike Glen]

That depends on whether you want to use it for major project management like
building a new aeroplane, or for more simple projects like building a garden
shed. Principles are the same but the level of in-depth knowledge needed is
varied.

Mike Glen
Project MVP

 

[davegb]

That depends on whether you want to use it for major project management like
building a new aeroplane, or for more simple projects like building a garden
shed. Principles are the same but the level of in-depth knowledge needed is
varied.

Mike Glen
Project MVP








- Show quoted text -

Didn't know they still build "aeroplanes" anywhere! That must be at
Hawker de Havilland. At Boeing/McDonald they build "airplanes".

I would agree that, at it's simplest level, just creating a Gantt by
setting dates, Project is about as easy as Mind Mapping software. As
soon as you start linking, the complexity goes up considerably. And
that's without Resources and Costs and Materials and EV!

I teach both Mind Mapping and Project. I can give a pretty thorough
lesson in Mind Mapping in an hour, including an exercise. When I teach
CPM, without touching Project, it takes 1.5 to 2 hours to go through
the basics and let the students do a sample problem with only 9 tasks.
And that doesn't include the 0.5 to 1.0 hr section I do on why we do
CPM. So a very basic intro to CPM takes almost 3 hours. My Intro to
Project class is 2 full days. I've given as long as one day
presentations, and taken classes as long as 5 days, on CPM and
Resources! And gone back for more. So I agree that at their simplest
levels, they are comparable. But scheduling goes way deeper, even
before you start learning PM, which I think we all agree, is necessary
to use scheduling software effectively.

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Dave,

Typical of the US to change the English language and abbreviate nouns

I don't dispute the difference in the learning curves. What I was trying to
indicate is that if the poster wants to learn a program, then a small amount
of investment in time to learn a package like Project that he could use at a
basic level, then that investment could. perhaps. be more useful than
mind-mapping in the longer term. On the other hand, if he can learn
mind-mapping in one hour, perhaps he should do both!


Mike Glen
Project MVP

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

My choice would be Project (Mind mapping may help you define the task but it
doesn't help you planning AT ALL.
And yes, it would be a great help learning.