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Tempting Templates – Tempting Templates – They’re Free and They’re Free and

Effective!Effective!

Kathy SchwalbeKathy Schwalbeandand

Bill HuntBill Hunt November 21, 2003November 21, 2003

schwalbe@augsburg.eduschwalbe@augsburg.eduwww.kathyschwalbe.comwww.kathyschwalbe.com

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Personal Backgrounds - Personal Backgrounds - KathyKathy• B.S. in math, 1981 (before Notre Dame and B.S. in math, 1981 (before Notre Dame and

most colleges offered computer science or most colleges offered computer science or MIS degrees), MBA in 1986, Ph.D. in MIS degrees), MBA in 1986, Ph.D. in education in 1996, PMP in 1998education in 1996, PMP in 1998

• First job was as a project manager in the Air First job was as a project manager in the Air Force working on advanced communications Force working on advanced communications systemssystems

• Worked on many projects to develop and Worked on many projects to develop and install several types of systems install several types of systems

• Now enjoy teaching, writing, and mentoring Now enjoy teaching, writing, and mentoring othersothers

• Personality profile: ENTJ, driver, high need Personality profile: ENTJ, driver, high need for achievementfor achievement

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Personal Backgrounds - Personal Backgrounds - BillBill• BS/MS in electrical and computer BS/MS in electrical and computer

engineering, University of Wisconsin, engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1984Madison, 1984

• Engineer, manager, and project Engineer, manager, and project manager for IBM, Western Digital, manager for IBM, Western Digital, Seagate, and JDS UniphaseSeagate, and JDS Uniphase

• Worked on product development for Worked on product development for disk drives, data storage subsystems, disk drives, data storage subsystems, and opto-electronic transceiversand opto-electronic transceivers

• Increased project management Increased project management training after experiencing several training after experiencing several failed projectsfailed projects

• Personality profile: INTJ, like to Personality profile: INTJ, like to discover solutions and drive them to discover solutions and drive them to completioncompletion

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Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview

• What are templates?What are templates?

• Why use templates?Why use templates?

• Sample TemplatesSample Templates

• U of M student project resultsU of M student project results

• Suggested referencesSuggested references

• Q & AQ & A

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What Are Templates?What Are Templates?• Templates are documents or files that Templates are documents or files that

provide an outline or format for creating provide an outline or format for creating documentationdocumentation

• Many professionals don’t like to write or Many professionals don’t like to write or ask others how to do “simple” things, and ask others how to do “simple” things, and no one likes to reinvent the wheelno one likes to reinvent the wheel

• Templates make it easier to prepare Templates make it easier to prepare common project documents and use common project documents and use standard tools and techniquesstandard tools and techniques

• It’s important to tailor templates to It’s important to tailor templates to unique project and organizational needs unique project and organizational needs

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Why Use Templates? Why Use Templates?

• Companies that excel in project Companies that excel in project delivery capability:delivery capability:– Build an integrated project Build an integrated project

management toolbox (use management toolbox (use standard/advanced PM tools, lots of standard/advanced PM tools, lots of templatestemplates))

– Develop streamlined, consistent Develop streamlined, consistent project delivery processesproject delivery processes

Dragan Milosevic, Portland State University, “Delivering Projects:What the Winners Do,” PMI Conference Proceedings, November 2001

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Why the Improvements Why the Improvements in IT Project Success in IT Project Success Rates?Rates? "The reasons for the increase in "The reasons for the increase in successful projects vary. First, successful projects vary. First, the average cost of a project has the average cost of a project has been more than cut in half. Better been more than cut in half. Better tools have been created to tools have been created to monitor and control progress and monitor and control progress and better skilled project managers better skilled project managers with better management with better management processes are being used. processes are being used. The The fact that there are processes is fact that there are processes is significant in itselfsignificant in itself.”.”

The Standish Group, "CHAOS 2001: A Recipe for Success" The Standish Group, "CHAOS 2001: A Recipe for Success" (2001)(2001)

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Sample TemplatesSample Templates

• Information Technology Project Information Technology Project Management, Third Edition, includesManagement, Third Edition, includes– 34 templates used in the book34 templates used in the book– information for accessing 333 free templates information for accessing 333 free templates

from other sourcesfrom other sources

• You can access all of these template files You can access all of these template files for freefor free from from www.kathyschwalbe.comwww.kathyschwalbe.com

• You can also access templates at the You can also access templates at the companion Web site for the text at companion Web site for the text at www.course.com/mis/schwalbewww.course.com/mis/schwalbe

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Sample Templates for Sample Templates for Initiating Projects (in Initiating Projects (in text)text)•Weighted Decision Matrix

•Business Case

•Financial Analysis

•Project Charter

•Kickoff Meeting

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Created by: Date:Criteria Weight Project 1 Project 2 Project 3 Project 4A 25% 90 90 50 20B 15% 70 90 50 20C 15% 50 90 50 20D 10% 25 90 50 70E 5% 20 20 50 90F 20% 50 70 50 50G 10% 20 50 50 90 Weighted Project Scores 100% 56 78.5 50 41.5

Weighted Decision Matrix for Project Name

Weighted Score by Project

0 20 40 60 80 100

Project 1

Project 2

Project 3

Project 4

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Business Case for Project Name Prepared by: Date: 1.0 Introduction/ Background 2.0 Business Objective 3.0 Current Situation and Problem/Opportunity Statement 4.0 Critical Assumption and Constraints . 5.0 Analysis of Options and Recommendation 6.0 Preliminary Project Requirements 7.0 Budget Estimate and Financial Analysis 8.0 Schedule Estimate 9.0 Potential Risks 10.0 Exhibits Exhibit A: Financial Analysis

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Created by: Date:

Discount rate 8%

Assume the project is completed in Year 0 Year0 1 2 3 Total

Costs 100 100 100 100Discount factor 1.00 0.93 0.86 0.79Discounted costs 100 93 86 79 358

Benefits 0 200 200 200Discount factor 1.00 0.93 0.86 0.79Discounted benefits 0 185 171 159 515

Discounted benefits - costs (100) 93 86 79 158 NPVCumulative benefits - costs (100) (7) 78 158

ROI 44%

AssumptionsEnter assumptions here

Payback before Year X

Note: Change the inputs, such as interest rate, number of years, costs, and benefits. Formulas are entered in the Excel file used to create this template. Be sure to double-check the formulas

Financial Analysis for Project Name

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Project Charter Project Title: Project Start Date: Projected Finish Date: Budget Information: Project Manager: Name, phone, e-mail Project Objectives: Approach:

Roles and Responsibilities

Role Name Organization/

Position

Contact Information

Sign-off: (Signatures of all above stakeholders. Can sign by their names in table above.) Comments: (Handwritten or typed comments from above stakeholders, if applicable)

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Project Name Kickoff Meeting

Date Meeting Objective: Agenda:

Introductions of attendees Background of project Review of project-related documents (i.e. business case, project request, contract) Discussion of project organizational structure Discussion of project scope, time, and cost goals Discussion of other important topics List of action items from meeting

Action Item Assigned To Due Date Date and time of next meeting:

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Sample Templates for Sample Templates for Planning Projects (in Planning Projects (in text)text)•Team Contract

•Scope Statement

•Statement of Work

•Request for Proposal

•Stakeholder Analysis

•Software Project Management Plan

•Work Breakdown Structure

•Gantt Chart

•Network Diagram

•Project Cost Estimate Overview

•Quality Assurance Plan

•Pareto Diagram

•Project Organizational Chart

•Responsibility Assignment Matrix

•Resource Histogram

•Stakeholder Analysis for Project CommunicationsNote: Other templates available in the text and on www.kathyschwalbe.com

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Now to Bill…Now to Bill…

Thanks for the great work your team Thanks for the great work your team did!did!

+

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Background on ProjectBackground on Project

• Done as part of IE5541, Project Done as part of IE5541, Project Management, courseManagement, course

• Counted for 25 % or gradeCounted for 25 % or grade• Project idea suggested by Project idea suggested by

professor (Kathy)professor (Kathy)• Four students volunteered, all Four students volunteered, all

working adults taking the course working adults taking the course virtuallyvirtually

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““Tempting Templates” Tempting Templates” Project ObjectivesProject Objectives• Search for project management Search for project management

templates from the Internet and/or templates from the Internet and/or literatureliterature

• Provide an organized list of templates Provide an organized list of templates grouped by web site, process group, grouped by web site, process group, and knowledge areaand knowledge area

• Provide a qualitative evaluation of Provide a qualitative evaluation of web sitesweb sites

• Provide recommendations for the list Provide recommendations for the list of templates to be included in the of templates to be included in the appendix of Schwalbe’s textappendix of Schwalbe’s text

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Research ActivitiesResearch ActivitiesThree Phase ApproachThree Phase Approach

1.1. Search for Web SitesSearch for Web Sites– Team members assigned different search enginesTeam members assigned different search engines– Obtain a list of web sites that provide (free) project Obtain a list of web sites that provide (free) project

management templatesmanagement templates– Organize the list by number and cost of templates Organize the list by number and cost of templates

foundfound

2.2. Gather Template InformationGather Template Information– Team members assigned different web sitesTeam members assigned different web sites– Collect detailed information on each free templateCollect detailed information on each free template– Organize the list of templates by web site, process Organize the list of templates by web site, process

group and knowledge areagroup and knowledge area

3.3. Adjust the plan to meet sponsor’s needsAdjust the plan to meet sponsor’s needs– Present results and receive feedback from sponsorPresent results and receive feedback from sponsor– Adjust the plan to meet sponsor’s needsAdjust the plan to meet sponsor’s needs

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Team Member’s Photos Team Member’s Photos

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Team ResponsibilitiesTeam Responsibilities

Bill Hunt x x x x xKinwai Chan x x x xHeather Fox x x x x xRoy Musselman x x x x x

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Summary of ResultsSummary of Results

• The team found 333 free templates and The team found 333 free templates and organized them by process group and organized them by process group and knowledge areaknowledge area

• We set initial guidelines for each team We set initial guidelines for each team member to start the Internet search, member to start the Internet search, then quickly recorded information on then quickly recorded information on each “hit”each “hit”

• Prioritized and ranked sites based on Prioritized and ranked sites based on number of total and unique templatesnumber of total and unique templates

• We evaluated many sites and came up We evaluated many sites and came up with a “top ten” listwith a “top ten” list

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Template Distribution byTemplate Distribution byProcess Group and Knowledge Process Group and Knowledge AreaArea

KnowledgeKnowledge

AreaAreaProject Process GroupsProject Process Groups

TotalTotalInitiatingInitiating PlanningPlanning ExecutingExecuting ControllingControlling ClosingClosing

IntegrationIntegration 1515 77 3030 5252

ScopeScope 3535 2323 1212 7070

TimeTime 1010 88 1818

CostCost 1414 44 1818

QualityQuality 1111 1414 55 3030

Human ResourcesHuman Resources 1313 44 1717

CommunicationsCommunications 1212 1111 3535 1515 7373

RiskRisk 3838 1212 5050

ProcurementProcurement 44 11 00 55

TotalTotal 3535 140140 3737 106106 1515 333333

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Number of TemplatesNumber of TemplatesFound by Knowledge Found by Knowledge AreaArea

550

7317

301818

7052

0 50 100

Procurement

Risk

Communications

HumanResource

Quality

Cost

Time

Scope

Integration

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Percentage of Templates Percentage of Templates Found by Process GroupFound by Process Group

Initiating11%

Planning41%

Executing11%

Controlling32%

Closing5%

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Students’ Top Ten Students’ Top Ten Free Template SitesFree Template Sites

Number of Free Number of Free TemplatesTemplates Resource Name and URLResource Name and URL

2222 Michigan Department of Information Technology:Michigan Department of Information Technology:http://www.michigan.gov/dit/0,1607,7-139-7321_18457-45013--,00.htmlhttp://www.michigan.gov/dit/0,1607,7-139-7321_18457-45013--,00.html

2828Minnesota Office of Technology:Minnesota Office of Technology:http://www.state.mn.us/cgi-bin/portal/mn/jsp/content.do?subchannel=-http://www.state.mn.us/cgi-bin/portal/mn/jsp/content.do?subchannel=-536879888&id=-8484&agency=OT536879888&id=-8484&agency=OT

2323 New York State Office for Technology: New York State Office for Technology: http://www.oft.state.ny.us/pmmp/templates/index.htmhttp://www.oft.state.ny.us/pmmp/templates/index.htm

1212 Tasmanian State Government: Tasmanian State Government: http://www.projectmanagement.tas.gov.au/index.htmhttp://www.projectmanagement.tas.gov.au/index.htm

2828 U.S. Department of Energy: U.S. Department of Energy: http://cio.doe.gov/ITReform/sqse/pm_main.htmhttp://cio.doe.gov/ITReform/sqse/pm_main.htm

5252 University of Waterloo Information Systems & Technology:University of Waterloo Information Systems & Technology:http://ist.uwaterloo.ca/projects/templates.htmlhttp://ist.uwaterloo.ca/projects/templates.html

1212 Method 123: Method 123: http://www.method123.comhttp://www.method123.com

1919 ProjectWare: ProjectWare: http://www.projectware.com.au/pw030.htmlhttp://www.projectware.com.au/pw030.html

1414 State of Texas Department of Information Resources:State of Texas Department of Information Resources:http://www.dir.state.tx.us/eod/qa/template.htmhttp://www.dir.state.tx.us/eod/qa/template.htm

88 U.S. Defense Logistics Agency: U.S. Defense Logistics Agency: http://www.dsioj.dla.mil/spi/template/pm-tmp.htmhttp://www.dsioj.dla.mil/spi/template/pm-tmp.htm

Complete details are available from the Tempting Templates web site:Complete details are available from the Tempting Templates web site:http://webpages.charter.net/hafox/pm/docs/TemptingTemplatesPreliminaryReport.htmhttp://webpages.charter.net/hafox/pm/docs/TemptingTemplatesPreliminaryReport.htm

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Project SuccessProject Success• Project success as defined in our scope Project success as defined in our scope

statement:statement:– ““The project will be deemed successful if the The project will be deemed successful if the

project is completed by 4/29/03, the PM Template project is completed by 4/29/03, the PM Template Report is delivered to Kathy Schwalbe and some Report is delivered to Kathy Schwalbe and some of the report content is included in the 3rd edition of the report content is included in the 3rd edition of her book.”of her book.”

• Sponsor feedback:Sponsor feedback:– “ “I think your team did a great job on the project. I think your team did a great job on the project.

The results of your research will be used by a lot The results of your research will be used by a lot of people. My reviewers really liked the new of people. My reviewers really liked the new appendix with the templates.”appendix with the templates.”

• Objectives were attained, the project was a Objectives were attained, the project was a success!success!

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Student Project Student Project MilestonesMilestones

StatusStatus Task_NameTask_Name DateDate

Kickoff meetingKickoff meeting 2/11/032/11/03

Charter SignedCharter Signed 2/14/032/14/03

Present Status Report 1Present Status Report 1 2/18/032/18/03

First Version of Report Delivered to AuthorFirst Version of Report Delivered to Author 3/24/033/24/03

Present mid-project sponsor status reportPresent mid-project sponsor status report 3/26/033/26/03

Present Status Report 2Present Status Report 2 4/1/034/1/03

Final Version of Report Delivered to AuthorFinal Version of Report Delivered to Author 4/14/034/14/03

Class Presentation - Remote TeamworkClass Presentation - Remote Teamwork 4/15/034/15/03

Present final projectPresent final project 5/6/035/6/03

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Project Management Project Management ToolsTools• MS ProjectMS Project

– Used for Time, Cost, Scope, Human Resource Used for Time, Cost, Scope, Human Resource managementmanagement

– Very helpful tool. Allowed us to be effective team Very helpful tool. Allowed us to be effective team members. Has more functionality than required members. Has more functionality than required for a project of this sizefor a project of this size

• CommunicationsCommunications– Web page, E-mail, Instant Messenger, Web page, E-mail, Instant Messenger,

TeleconferencingTeleconferencing– Effective communication tools for our virtual teamEffective communication tools for our virtual team– Used several templates provided in class (charter, Used several templates provided in class (charter,

scope statement, etc.)scope statement, etc.)

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Earned Value AnalysisEarned Value Analysis(chart on next page)(chart on next page)

• Saved project baseline at beginning of Saved project baseline at beginning of project. project.

• Assumed $30/hour labor rate for all team Assumed $30/hour labor rate for all team members.members.

• Earned value chart shows us on-time and Earned value chart shows us on-time and slightly over-budget. slightly over-budget.

• Our mid-semester review showed us Our mid-semester review showed us going over-budget. We adjusted by going over-budget. We adjusted by refining the original project scope and by refining the original project scope and by using free slack built into the original using free slack built into the original schedule. schedule.

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Tempting Templates Earned Value

EAC, $5,422.03BAC, $5,139.79

$0

$1,000

$2,000

$3,000

$4,000

$5,000

$6,000

2/11

2/18

2/25 3/

43/

113/

183/

25 4/1

4/8

4/15

4/22

4/29 5/

65/

13

ACEVPVEACBAC Actual Cost (AC)

Earned Value (EV)

Planned Value (PV)

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What Went Right?What Went Right?

• Spent a lot of time in the planning phaseSpent a lot of time in the planning phase– Spent time, as a team, with the sponsor clarifying Spent time, as a team, with the sponsor clarifying

the charterthe charter– Productive team working sessions to create an Productive team working sessions to create an

effective WBSeffective WBS– Tasks balanced among team members. Tasks Tasks balanced among team members. Tasks

matched to team members with appropriate skills.matched to team members with appropriate skills.• Very high levels of ownership and schedule Very high levels of ownership and schedule

integrity integrity • The work was meaningful. Project topic The work was meaningful. Project topic

applied directly to the course contentapplied directly to the course content• Schedule was able to accommodate a mid-Schedule was able to accommodate a mid-

course redirection in activitiescourse redirection in activities

3333

What Went Wrong?What Went Wrong?

• Communicating with each other Communicating with each other was sometimes difficult because was sometimes difficult because we couldn’t easily find a common we couldn’t easily find a common meeting time/place meeting time/place

• The amount of work was The amount of work was underestimatedunderestimated

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What Did the Team What Did the Team Learn?Learn?• We learned a lot about project management We learned a lot about project management

and templatesand templates• Gained appreciation of the wide use of project Gained appreciation of the wide use of project

management techniques in various industriesmanagement techniques in various industries• Gained experience how to do a general web Gained experience how to do a general web

research projectresearch project• Learned about advanced features of MS Learned about advanced features of MS

ProjectProject– Earned ValueEarned Value– HTML output, reportsHTML output, reports

• Learned about virtual teams from both the Learned about virtual teams from both the project team and the content reportproject team and the content report

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Project Web SiteProject Web Site

Note: You can link to this site from www.kathyschwalbe.com

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Project Gantt ChartProject Gantt Chart

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Quote from Kathy’s BookQuote from Kathy’s Book• In the spring of 2003, four students in a project management course at the In the spring of 2003, four students in a project management course at the

University of Minnesota did a group project to help find and evaluate templates. University of Minnesota did a group project to help find and evaluate templates. Bill Hunt was the project manager, and his team members included Heather Bill Hunt was the project manager, and his team members included Heather Fox, Kinwai Chan, and Roy Musselman. All four students took the class in a Fox, Kinwai Chan, and Roy Musselman. All four students took the class in a virtual environment. I was the sponsor for the project and their instructor for virtual environment. I was the sponsor for the project and their instructor for the course, which met one night a week from mid-January through early May.the course, which met one night a week from mid-January through early May.

• In their preliminary project report, one of the first product-related deliverables In their preliminary project report, one of the first product-related deliverables for the project, the students reported finding 54 unique Web sites that offered for the project, the students reported finding 54 unique Web sites that offered project management templates. Thirty-five of these sites offered free templates project management templates. Thirty-five of these sites offered free templates with no required registration or membership, 11 sites required a registration or with no required registration or membership, 11 sites required a registration or free membership to access the templates, and 18 sites required a fee for either free membership to access the templates, and 18 sites required a fee for either membership or for direct purchase of the templates. The students used several membership or for direct purchase of the templates. The students used several different search engines and entered key words like "free project management different search engines and entered key words like "free project management templates" and similar variations.templates" and similar variations.

• Table D-2 provides a count of the templates the students found by knowledge Table D-2 provides a count of the templates the students found by knowledge area and process group. Note that the students found 333 templates… area and process group. Note that the students found 333 templates…

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Kathy’s Observations on Kathy’s Observations on TemplatesTemplates

• In early 2003 I added templates to my Web In early 2003 I added templates to my Web site for project proposals, team contracts, site for project proposals, team contracts, and scope statements, and the quality of and scope statements, and the quality of student assignments/projects improved student assignments/projects improved tremendously tremendously

• People like to have more guidance on People like to have more guidance on expectations and formatsexpectations and formats for various project for various project documents, and they want the actual files to documents, and they want the actual files to make their jobs easiermake their jobs easier

• Be sure the templates are Be sure the templates are usefuluseful and not and not just bureaucratic paperworkjust bureaucratic paperwork

• For example, scope statements should For example, scope statements should describe project success criteria. Track that describe project success criteria. Track that info in the status and final project reportsinfo in the status and final project reports

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Check Out the Free Check Out the Free Templates!Templates!• Go to www.kathyschwalbe.com Go to www.kathyschwalbe.com

and download the free template and download the free template files from her third edition files from her third edition (created in Word, Excel, Project, (created in Word, Excel, Project, and PowerPoint) and access the and PowerPoint) and access the sites that Bill’s team foundsites that Bill’s team found

• If you’d like to add more, contact If you’d like to add more, contact Kathy at schwalbe@augsburg.eduKathy at schwalbe@augsburg.edu

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Questions or Questions or Comments?Comments?