PLANNING AND SCHEDULING OF A PROJECT USING MICROSOFT PROJECT (MSP).

In spite of all that is known about project management best practices, they are often absent from typical construction projects in India. Our experience is such that weak project management practices continue to be a common place in construction industry, particularly in developing countries. Poorly managed projects cost all stakeholders a huge amount not just financially but also psychologically and emotionally. It has motivated us to carry out the working and functioning of a project using the modern project management tool available in the market; and then comparing it with the traditional software (Excel) which is being use. We carried on an online survey focusing on all the stakeholders related to the project with a view to obtain an idea of various project management practices in construction industry. Notably, 80% of the total construction industries in India still use traditional software Microsoft Excel for planning, scheduling and controlling of their projects and 86% felt the need for adapting to new software. We then approached a Pune based construction company in which Excel is still the dominant source of managing the projects. We expressed them our visions and desire to work on one of their projects using Microsoft Project. We carried on the planning & scheduling of the building using Microsoft Project tool. The results obtained were considerably positive than those using traditional software.