Get Started with Project Components and Sections

Summary

An introduction to project managers regarding the various components and sections available for use on a project within the Enterprise Service Management (ESM) system. Project managers can choose which elements to use based upon the scope, complexity and other elements of specific projects.

Body

Overview

One of the biggest challenges with projects is determining how much project management to use. While there is a plethora of discussion related to this topic, for the purpose of this article we summarize it as use just enough. Once a project is created, the ESM system allows individual projects to be customized to use, or not use, various elements of project management practices. The information provided below provides project managers with a brief description of each components functionality, references to additional articles, as well as indicating if the feature can be disabled. Allowing project managers to tailor how much project management to use based upon the scope, complexity and other elements of specific projects.

Important
Many projects will have one, or more, of the various components and sections listed below disabled. Remember too much project management is as much of a hindrance to successful completion as not enough.
Tip
The following table lists the various elements as they would be displayed within a project's menu if all the components and sections were enabled.
Project Management Descriptions
Element Description Can be Toggled On/Off
Details This is were the project manager, and/or alternate manager(s), will perform actions against the project, such as adding Project Baselines, and resources. This is also where the regular project updates are performed.  
General The general data-sheet of the project, including type, start and end date, etc. Separate heading exist for Time & Expenses, including Advanced details such as Program, Portfolio, and Sponsor. This is also where Custom Attribute Project Sections will appear.  
Settings Place to manage Project Component and Attribute display settings, as well as overall project display and functionality Settings. Can be configured on from Project to Project.  
Announcements

Announcements help communicate comprehensive messages to project members by either prominently featuring the message on the projects homepage or by notifying the members via email notification.

Project Announcement KB articles

Baselines

Historical list of Project Baselines by Date, including Start / End Date adjustments, Est. Hours, as well as Time & Expense Budgets.

Project Baseline KB articles

 
Benefits

The benefits section allows project managers to enter intangible benefits or reasons for doing the project that are not monetary in nature, as well as specific monetary benefits for doing the project that are anticipated to be realized over a five (5) year span.

Many project manager's elect to not use this feature, and therefore disable it on the project.

Briefcase

The project's briefcase gives project team members the ability to add and share files and folders that are related to the project. During the project closeout process, project manager's can elect to archive important files by adding them to the ESM File Cabinet.

Calendar

The Project Calendar helps to facilitate project communication and coordination by creating an event or meeting and share it with other project members. Additionally, project tasks with their start/end dates set will appear on the calendar.

Project Calendar KB articles

Calendar Feeds A place to Add and Manage all Project Calendar Feeds.  
Expenses

Expenses help project managers track a project's budget related to planned expenditure of funds related to the project for expenses such as equipment, services, training, flight, hotels, etc.

Many project manager's elect to not use this feature, and therefore disable it on the project.

Project Expenses KB articles

Feed The full list of Project Activity in Feed form. Can also be used to message / notify Project Team Members.  
Goals

Goals help project managers to associate the project with one, or more, UA organizational goals and provide context on how the project aligns with each goal selected. Most useful during the scorecard step of project review.

Goals are established at the UA system level, and cannot be customized to list specific departmental goals.

Many project manager's elect to not use this feature, and therefore disable it on the project.

Issues

Issues are smaller concerns or questions about a project that are noted along the life-cycle of a project. They can be used as a way to guide organizations as they navigate opened work items on projects, note particular concerns that may affect certain tasks related to the project, or just list out lessons learned during the life of a project.

Project Issues KB articles

Links

Links provides a means for project team members to add and manage hyperlinks to reference documentation and other information sources that are not included in the project's briefcase.

Project Links KB articles

Milestones If the project is tracking work using Waterfall plan(s) then any milestone tasks will be displayed here. If a project is using a Card Wall style plan, this section should be disabled as it will not display any information related to Card Wall plans.
Organizational Risks Organizational risks help evaluate the risk of a project request, or project, against predefined UA organizational risks to help compare organizational risk levels between projects and requests.
Plans

The details relating to the work to be accomplished on the project in either a Waterfall or Card Wall format. Project's can have more than one plan associated with it in any combination desired; however, each plan is unique and does not represent a different view of another plan.

Project Plan KB articles

Related Processes

Provides a means of listing all processes that the project will have an impact upon, as well as providing context related to that process.

Many project manager's elect to not use this feature, and therefore disable it on the project.

Resources Resources are people that have one, ore more, tasks associated with the project and help get the actual work of the project done in order to facilitate meeting the project's deadline.
Returns

Provides a means of documenting the expected fiscal benefits of the project over a period of time.

Many project manager's elect to not use this feature, and therefore disable it on the project.

Risk Register

The Risks Register gives project request reviewers and project team members the ability to record and manage risks separately from issues. It is important to note within project management risks can either be a threat (i.e. harmful/negative), or an opportunity (i.e. helpful/positive).

Project Risks KB articles

Role Forecasts

Useful when managing large groups of teams with overlapping Roles. Role Forecasts assist with Project Planning by working with employee roles, capacities, and project schedules to keep projects moving and running on time and within budget.

Functional roles forecasts are added to a project request before it becomes a project.

Scorecard Scorecards are useful for evaluating projects during the review phase. Scorecards are displayed in a project if they were used in assessing a project's value during the review.
Stakeholders

Stakeholders are individuals that have an interest in the outcomes of the project. They can be a vendor, director, dean, CIO, provost, chancellor, or other team members.

Project Stakeholders KB articles

Status Chart Displays Project Statuses over time. Useful for tracking historic project health.  
Systems Affected

Provides a means of listing all systems that the project will have an impact upon, as well as providing context related to that system.

Many project manager's elect to not use this feature, and therefore disable it on the project.

User Stories

User stories created within a Card Wall plan will be displayed here.

User Stories KB articles

Workflows Displays the full list of Workflows that the Project has been through during the Review process.  

Best Practices

Small/Simple Projects

 

Enable the following project settings.

  • Components
    • Announcement
    • Briefcase
    • Calendar
    • Issues
    • Plans
  • Project Sections
    • Custom Attributes
    • Resources

Complex Projects

 

Enable the following project settings.

  • Components
    • Announcement
    • Briefcase
    • Calendar
    • Issues
    • Risks Register
    • Plans
  • Project Sections
    • Custom Attributes
    • Systems Affected
    • Related Processes
    • Scorecard
    • Resources

Need additional help or have issues

For support, requests may be submitted anytime using the appropriate Enterprise Service Management form. Requests generate a Ticket which will be worked in order received and urgency by IT Employees with the knowledge and permissions to assist with the request.

For immediate assistance please review the Contact Us page for the appropriate support group.

Details

Details

Article ID: 2567
Created
Thu 10/16/25 10:57 AM
Modified
Thu 10/16/25 4:59 PM