F-Pretty Data-Raw.xlsx (26.09 KB)
This is a ‘paper’ assignment and should, therefore be in APA format—title page, abstract, paper, and Appendices. Appendix 1 should contain any references. Figures require figure numbers and captions. Figure captions should describe what is significant about the figure. Don’t say “Figure 1: A plot of the cost.” That will be obvious from the figure. If you use a figure, there should be a reason for it. The abstract should be advertising for your paper (it is not a summary) and showcase the key results. (So that the reader wants to read the paper and discover how you got those fascinating results.) This does not need to be a long paper—a couple of pages is quite sufficient. The main goal is to show that you can manipulate Excel and present PM data in a clear and appropriate context. You may make up any scenario for the data that you like. Have fun. Present the data in any context you can make a case for.
Since you don’t know any of the details of the project except for the planned and actual costs over time, you need to examine the data and describe what it shows happened in the project throughout its conduct. Then describe what you found out in the paper you wrote. Be sure to include the chart that you’ve developed as an appendix, or you may include it in the MS Word document itself at the appropriate point. Be sure to label everything properly so it’s easily understood.
It will contain risk management knowledge of Project management , So please pay attention!!! Follow above requirement and on time! Thank you!
About EXCEL
Tutorial Figures
I have collected here some of the figures from the tutorial to remind you of some of the key lessons.
Figure 1: Some Bad Excel Practices
Figure 1: Some Bad Excel Practices
This is what you get when you use the default Excel chart maker. It illustrates a number of bad practices and shows that you are an amateur:
The x-axis scale starts at “1” instead of zero, “0,” and the number intervals are by “6.” The marks on the x-axis are too close to tell them apart.
The legend is off to the right where it uses up a lot of space to do nothing. It is too small, you won’t be able to read it when you paste this in a report.
The y-axis has decimal points. Since the values are 5, 10, 15, etc., you don’t need the decimals.
The green curve is faded out and will not show up well, especially if you print the report in black and white.
The x and y axes are not labeled.
There is no title.
The right-hand margin is missing (ok, that’s really picky!)
After having studied the tutorial, you should be able to recognize and, even better, fix all of these issues.
Figure 2: Slightly Better Excel Practices
Figure 2: Slightly Better Excel Practices
In Figure 2, I have fixed some of the issues.
The x-axis scale now starts at “0” and the number intervals are by “50.” The marks on the x-axis are now usefully in 10s. (Picky: the zero is missing.)
The legend is in a blank part of the chart. It still might be too small to read, but it is highlighted and in a box.
The decimal points in the y-axis values are gone. The values are easier to read (larger & bolded)
The green curve is now blue and the green is used for a less important curve.
The x and y axes are now labeled. Although the y-axis letters are not the same size as the x-axis letters, and the vertical y-axis title format does not look good.
There is a title.
The right-hand margin is now there.
I’ve also added a text box, to show that it can be done. Text boxes are useful to illustrate and describe interesting aspects of the Figure.
I have also added a right-hand scale, which applies to the cumulative (purple) curve. This is an advanced feature (The “Advanced Course,” a dual axis plot).
However, while I have fixed the technical issues and displayed a certain technical virtuosity, this is not a good Figure. Why not?
It’s ugly!
I readily admit that I am not very good at making my charts aesthetically pleasing. Feel free to do better.
The next few plots show things to avoid
Figure 3: Avoid Fake 3-D and Messy Plots.
Good chart designers vehemently criticize 3-D presentations. 3-D distorts the data and emphasizes things that are not there. They look good in newspapers and magazines, but should be avoided in technical presentations.
Besides, as a PM, you want to communicate the cost and schedule to the stakeholders and you do not want someone criticizing your 3-D format and taking the discussion off into an irrelevant topic.
Figure 4: Data by itself (green) does not show the curve and the red makes the curve much too thick.
Figure 4: Data by itself (green) does not show the curve and the red makes the curve much too thick.
Beware plotting the data points. You need a really good reason to do this. One reason to plot data points is that you are presenting a scatter plot. If you don’t know what a scatter plot is, you probably should not plot data points.
Figure 5: This is a radar plot of the same data as in all the other figures.
Figure 5: This is a radar plot of the same data as in all the other figures.
