Looking for a MS Project (2000 or later) plan for an IT audit.

[Wyatt]

I'm in the process of developing a project plan for conducting an IT
infrastructure audit (network, hardware, software, telecomm, etc.)

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Rick Roszko]

Well, looks like no one responded so here's my two cents (meaning if you ask
5 project managers how to do this, you'll get 5 different answers)...

A project plan for conducting an audit is different for creating a checklist
for the audit itself.

All you need to do in a project plan is to record (a) the Date when a
location is due for the audit [Start] and (b) [Work] involved in hours. This
will set your [Duration] in the plan.

That's it. Repeat for all locations. It is a mistake (and a tracking
nightmare) if you decide to create a check-list or to-do list in the project
plan itself. The check-list or to-do list is a document or a "deliverable".
When all deliverables are completed,
that task is completed. Here is what a basic plan might look like.

COUNTRY (summary task)
- STATE (summary task)
- - CITY (summary task)
- - - BUILDING ONE (summary task)
- - - - FLOOR ONE (task)
- - - - FLOOR TWO (task)
- - - - BUILDING ONE COMPLETE (milestone)
- - - BUILDING TWO etc. etc.

If you need to estimate how long the audit takes, so you can calculate how
long the project wil lat, then what you need to do it to take a "typical"
setup and have at least two different teams inventory the setup. Average the
speed of the audit and that will give you a ballpark figure. Multiple that
with the expected load per location and you have your estimated time period.
Remember that people will get slower as the day progresses. If you have more
than one location, do one first and use that as your guide for other
locations...

If that doesn't work for you and you still want a template, hit a search
engine and type in "ms project template". I bunch of places will pop up and
a bunch of places charge money. Try the free ones first. I have no idea if
the "paid" templates are any good since I never used one...

Hope that works for you...

 

[Wyatt]

Thanks, Rick!

Well, looks like no one responded so here's my two cents (meaning if you ask
5 project managers how to do this, you'll get 5 different answers)...

A project plan for conducting an audit is different for creating a checklist
for the audit itself.

All you need to do in a project plan is to record (a) the Date when a
location is due for the audit [Start] and (b) [Work] involved in hours. This
will set your [Duration] in the plan.

That's it. Repeat for all locations. It is a mistake (and a tracking
nightmare) if you decide to create a check-list or to-do list in the project
plan itself. The check-list or to-do list is a document or a "deliverable".
When all deliverables are completed,
that task is completed. Here is what a basic plan might look like.

COUNTRY (summary task)
- STATE (summary task)
- - CITY (summary task)
- - - BUILDING ONE (summary task)
- - - - FLOOR ONE (task)
- - - - FLOOR TWO (task)
- - - - BUILDING ONE COMPLETE (milestone)
- - - BUILDING TWO etc. etc.

If you need to estimate how long the audit takes, so you can calculate how
long the project wil lat, then what you need to do it to take a "typical"
setup and have at least two different teams inventory the setup. Average the
speed of the audit and that will give you a ballpark figure. Multiple that
with the expected load per location and you have your estimated time period.
Remember that people will get slower as the day progresses. If you have more
than one location, do one first and use that as your guide for other
locations...

If that doesn't work for you and you still want a template, hit a search
engine and type in "ms project template". I bunch of places will pop up and
a bunch of places charge money. Try the free ones first. I have no idea if
the "paid" templates are any good since I never used one...

Hope that works for you...

--
Rick Roszko
PM, MSPS, Network Consultant

I'm in the process of developing a project plan for conducting an IT
infrastructure audit (network, hardware, software, telecomm, etc.)

Any help is greatly appreciated!