BOEING RECEIVES AWARD
02-Oct-09: Boeing Defence Australia awarded for engineering excellence.
An established user of Micro Planner X-Pert Boeing developed new practices for RAAF F-111 aircraft.
MPI congratulates Boeing on this achievement.
MPI are delighted that Micro Planner X-Pert was used as the planning tool that help Boeing gain this recognition..
Source: PlaneTalking, October 5, 2009
Do you trust your project planning application as you do your "Sat Nav"?
A project is like a journey - you know where the destination is - now you need to know the best route, arrival time and cost - so you reach for your Sat Nav.
Micro Planner X-Pert is probably the best "Sat Nav" you can buy for your next project. MPI's entry level product "Manager" is now sold at "SAT Nav" prices.
- Map out your tasks and milestones using MPI's unique
"Activity on Arrow" diagram - it is easy to draw and share with others - to see
the shortest route to your destination.
- The "Resource Scheduling" can be relied upon to
smooth out work overloads, or to show where additional resources are needed to
meet set deadlines- with careful planning the "Tsunami Wave" of tasks waiting
to be started will be history and the whole project team will be less
stressed.
- We've introduced "Traffic Light" colours of "green,
amber and red" to show those activities that can be delayed whilst you focus on
the critical areas and still arrive on time - making you aware and giving you
an opportunity to react - ahead of time.
- The "Earned Value" graphs show "Budgeted Costs",
"Actual Costs" and the "Value" of finished work - putting you in control of
costs and ready to report progress.
- The application is simple to install onto your PC
meaning you can start planning and scheduling straight away, with minimal
training and start your journey with a much higher probability of reaching your
destination as planned.
If you use a "Sat Nav" for untried journeys then you know their value. (The good thing about a Sat Nav even on well known journeys is that it continuously informs of your arrival time !
So, for your next project, use Micro Planner X-Pert as your "Sat Nav" to guide you through the project plan - keeping you in control for better performance and delivery.
And, if you need help to plan and control your projects, then call
MPI where we offer professionally delivered training, consultancy and mentoring
to meet your budget.
Micro Planner Manager at £195.00 plus
VAT (UK Sterling) - making planning even more affordable and giving
you benefits straight away.
Micro Planner X-Pert - Easy For Beginners - Delights The Professionals
– Powerful planning and scheduling for both simple and complex projects
– Complete suite of tools with no 'add-ons'
– Trusted information for decisions and communications
– Earned Value (EV) reporting is 'built- in'
– Everyone can quickly start controlling their projects
– Options for resource analysis will delight the Professional Planners and Schedulers
– Data entry problems are identified for corrective action.
X-Pert's Main Features
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Downloads
Download X-Pert Feature List and then explore X-Pert software demo version.
First A Welcome
Welcome to Micro Planning International Ltd (MPI). We started in 1978 and now celebrate our thirtieth year in delivering project planning and scheduling software around the World.
MPI is part of a group of companies delivering and supporting Micro Planner in Europe, America and Australia.
Are you new to project management, or a seasoned practitioner running inter-national projects? Whatever your starting point, we believe we have the right solution for you; it's called X-Pert.
X-Pert products are continuously developed with bespoke versions delivered to major clients.
X-Pert Products
A professional Project Manager recently said this about X-Pert:
- It’s designed around PERT - with Gantt as an output rather than the other way around .
- Many individual sub-projects with links between them – makes everything more manageable .
- Ladder activities - that eliminates "lag-drag"
- Hammock activities – absolutely essential for overviews
- PERT diagrams - where the lines don't overlay each other
- Powerful resource scheduler – giving accurate and trustworthy results..
Exploring X-Pert
The Basics
- Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) - maps to contract or project description
- Organisational Breakdown Structures (OBS) - maps to work groups, e.g. departments, suppliers, partners, etc.
- Data Exchanges- Data flows across different project files on PCs around the globe via the Internet
- Logic networks - clear view "work-flow", dependencies, milestones and "bottle-necks"
- Flexible calendars and weekly cycles - full control over resource availability
- Resource descriptions - Up to twenty changes to each resource quantity or cost over the life of your project
- Critical Path Analysis (CPA) - shows the longest path and float through your project and sub-projects
- Program Evaluation and Review Technique ( PERT) - easy "What if" trails to optimise time and cost
- Gantt reports - used for "time-sheets" and reporting progress
- Earned Value Performance Measurement (EVPM) - a full suite of built-in cost reports giving you financial control
- Reports - a full set of ready-made reports and "Report Writer" tools to design your own
- Export/Import - enables project data to be exchanged in several common formats including .xml
- Audit trail - "Built-in" records to satisfy Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) audits and good governance requirements
Versatility
Micro Planner provides the most versatile interface in the project management software industry.
You interact with your project through "What-you-see-is-what-you -get" (WYSIWYG) windows.
Create and up-date your project in any of the following -
- Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)
- Network logic with a choice of "Activity on the Arrow" or "Task in a box"
- Bar charts
- Histograms
- Tables
- Curves.
Resource Levelling
X-pert (probably) has the best resource levelling algorithm in the industry
The resource levelling calculations are still the most advanced in the project management industry.
Features include:
- Split-able tasks,
- Elastic tasks (ie Resource driven task)
- Skill scheduling by alternate resources within user defined groups,
- Resource- driven durations,
- Resource prioritising,
- Four levels of resource- levelling heuristics,
- Up to 250 resources scheduled simultaneously with up to 250 individual calendars.
Flexibility
X-Pert is amongst the most flexible project management systems in the industry.
You can create up to 250 calendars, up to 20 different resources per task.
You can generate special resources, as a result of tasks performed. "Pool" resources can be used for monitoring the use of materials or cash. Debit and credit resourcing is also available.
Micro Planner supports all the dependency types, Start to Start, Start to Finish, Finish to Start, Finish to Finish as well date impositions which may be No Earlier Than, No Later Than, Target Start, Target Finish, Fixed Start, Fixed Finish.
The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) offers 1,000 WBS elements per project and a depth of up to 999 levels - this really allows you to map the contracted work onto the WBS for better project management.
Easy To Use
X-Pert is one of the easiest to use project management applications available
- Computer-based training with easy to manage defaults allows you to see only what you need
- Full documentation available as a download
- Context sensitive help available on every pop-up or window.
Multiple Projects
The multi-project capabilities within X-Pert is one of the areas that sets it apart from the competition. This is the area where you can model the Organisational Breakdown Structure (OBS) into your project files.
- Work with true multi-projects as well as sub-projects, to create and manage your global projects
- Separate project files linked using our unique Transmitters and Receivers even at different levels of the project structures
- Manage WBS, resources and calendars centrally, to manage up to 100 sub projects per project file.
Earned Value Performance Management
X-Pert provides a low cost entry into the world of Earned Value Performance Management, they identify BCWS, BCWP, ACWS, BAC, ETC costs, as well as Recoverable Value, Earned/Cost variance (CV), Schedule Variance (SV) and Variance at Completion (VAC). Budgeted costs of operations or the whole project are always viewable
Recent Customers
Some of the very best people are using X-Pert all over the world.
Many of our Licensees have depended upon us for almost thirty years to deliver high-quality project control systems.
Some of our users include: Apple Inc, Boeing, Motorola, Nortel, British Rail, CEGB, Coles Myer, RAAF, RAN, Siemens AG, PT Mobisel, ASIC, Lucas Film, LRH, Monsanto, Duke Power Co., British Telecom, Shell Oil, Lockheed, IBM, Fujitsu . A truly International set of delighted customers.
Cost Effective
X-Pert is inexpensive and cost effective. If you are considering multiple licenses then let us quote you a volume purchase discount.
Customer Support
We want you to be successful with all your projects.
It's good for your Customers , good for your Company - and good
for your Career too.
Our Licensees tell us that our support is second to none. let us know whether you prefer "on-site", or "off-site" training - we can do both.
MPI offers :
- On-line: tutorials and downloadable documentation.
- Product up-dates,
- Off-line: use E-mail and telephone support
- Planning and Scheduling training - independent of software tools,
- Technical product training - using X-Pert
- Training on the fundamentals of good Project Management.
Compare And Contrast X-Pert Software
If you are about to purchase, or upgrade your project planning applications then consider X-Pert.
We invite you to download the X-Pert Feature List (MS Word .doc) and compare/contrast X-Pert with other packages. Having made your comparisons, and recorded your results then please send it to MPI as an email attachment to john@microplanning.co.uk. We will then learn of our strengths and weaknesses and have real data from which to plan product improvements.
Action
If any of that sounds interesting and you want to learn more then please call.
We would be delighted to hear from you.
Main Contact:
John Cornish, Chartered Marketer, MBA, MAPM, FCIM
Micro Planning International Ltd
21, Farriers Close
Wimborne,
Dorset,
BH21 2UA
England
Tel: +44 (0) 1202 884 690
Mob: +44 (0)
7799 516 735
Email: john@microplanning.co.uk
PS: Your views on this website are very welcome - especially on how it can be enhanced giving better value to Project Managers.