Planisware Orchestra Tutorial – 11 Steps to the Optimal Project Plan

Step 2: Define the Work Packages as Summary Tasks

In the context of Planisware Orchestra, it is essential that you designate work packages as summary tasks when creating project templates. This ensures a structured and organized representation of project components.

For instance, when you are setting up a template for a software development project, you should define phases such as “Requirements”, “Design”, “Development”, and “Testing” as summary tasks to encapsulate related work packages within each phase. This approach enhances clarity and facilitates efficient project management within Planisware Orchestra.

Step 3: Define Predecessors and Successors for the Summary Tasks

When you are working in Planisware Orchestra, it is imperative to establish predecessors and successors for summary tasks to construct a high-level Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

Identify the logical dependencies between different phases or summary tasks in your project. Establishing predecessors and successors helps you outline the sequence in which these tasks should be executed. In a product development project, you might establish that the “Design” phase is a predecessor to the “Development” phase, as the design must be completed before development can begin. Conversely, the “Testing” phase might be a successor to “Development”.

Use the defined predecessors and successors to organize summary tasks into a high-level Work Breakdown Structure. This structure provides a visual representation of the project’s hierarchy and helps in understanding the relationships between different components. Your high-level WBS might include top-level summary tasks such as “Project Initiation”, “Development”, and “Testing”.

Under “Development” you can further break down tasks into more detailed work packages like “Coding” and “Unit Testing”.

Step 4: Detail Each Work Package by Adding Activities

To access work packages in Planisware Orchestra, log in to the platform and navigate to the relevant project in which you intend to provide detailed information on work packages.

Once in the system, open the Work Package module, which is the designated area for managing and monitoring intricate project tasks.

Within this module, select the specific work package of interest by clicking on it.

Ensure you specify detailed information for each activity, including the activity name, start date, end date, estimated duration.

Option 1: Use Gantt Chart to Add Activities as Subtasks

Option 2: Select Each Work Package and Add Activities from Task List

Step 5: Decide Which Activities Are Tasks and Which Are Milestones

When creating a new task, you have to decide whether it should be a regular task or a milestone. Select your choice in Planisware Orchestra by checking the matching box.

Step 6: Estimate Duration for Tasks and Enter It at Task Level

In Planisware Orchestra, navigate to the task details section, then to “Scheduling” and enter the estimated target duration and Start Date. For a new task, the process can be completed in a single step.

Step 7: Define Predecessors and Successors for Activities

Commence the connection process by linking Summary Tasks from the highest WBS level initially, and then extend the same logic to the subtask level. By finishing the WBS, avoid connecting tasks across different WBS hierarchy levels.

Ensure that the Milestone serving as the gate in a stage-and-gate structure is positioned as the final task within the summary task.

Step 8: Define a Stage-and-Gate Structure for Your Project

Begin by confirming that the “Phase-Gate” option is enabled in the project properties.

In the absence of admin rights, a user with administrative privileges to create phases and stages must establish the phases and stages, which can subsequently be chosen for incorporation into your summary tasks and milestones.

Step 9: Decide Which Summary Tasks are Stages and Which Milestones Are Gates

Access the task list, click on the desired summary tasks to designate them as phases. Proceed to the “Details” section and specify the summary task as a stage (Phase). It is important to note that a phase can be used only once in your project; thus, you can repeatedly select subtasks and assign them the same phase.

This underscores the significance of choosing the summary task as the phase, ensuring it encompasses all activities associated with that phase as subtasks.

Follow the same process for milestones that are intended to serve as gates. Open the task list, click on the relevant milestones, navigate to the “Details” section, and designate the selected milestone as a gate.

Step 10: Define Gatekeepers for Gates

To designate a gatekeeper for each milestone, click on the corresponding task. Then navigate to the team section and assign an individual as the gatekeeper.

Step 11: Save a Baseline

Prior to initiating the project, it is imperative that you create and save a baseline for your entire project. Select “Schedule” and “Update baseline schedule”.

Overwriting this baseline at the task level should only be considered in exceptional circumstances and with careful consideration of the task details.