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Graphics for Project Planning

Grafische Communicatie, Wk.7

Informatiekunde

Communicatie- en Informatiewetenschappen

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Graphics for Project Planning

• Why project planning?• Complexity• Structure

– Tasks, Time, Resources

• Graphics– Gantt, Pert

• Example: Linguistics Conference

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Why Project Planning?

• Most work can be view as project(s)– teach GC, convert to Euro, advertise service

• Project– Goal (implicit success or degree thereof)– Time within which it must occur– Limited Resources– Set of subtasks

• some subtasks may in turn have subtasks.

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Complex Projects

• too large for one person– start e-commerce (in established business)– convert to NT, introduce intranet, write prog.

• require input from many people– reissue course catalogue

• communication then essential– graphical views: times, tasks, resources

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Project Structure

Time Task Resources

begin, end,(subtask)durations,repetitions

subtaskhierarchy

breakfast -coffee -newspaper -set table -corn flakes

people (work),materials,money

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Project Planning

• realize goals– on time– respecting task dependencies– within limited resources

• planning is essential

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“Scriptie” Planning, First Pass

• Goal: Scriptie, 15 Aug 2002

• Plan– Chap. 1 - 15 Apr.– Chap. 2 - 15 May– Chap. 3 - 15 June– Chap. 4 - 15 July– Chap. 5 - 15 Aug.

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“Scriptie” Planning, First Pass

– too vague, no clear subtasks

– reason for duration?– same duration needed?– realistic?

Goal: Scriptie, 15 Aug 2002

PlanChap. 1 - 15 Apr.Chap. 2 - 15 MayChap. 3 - 15 JuneChap. 4 - 15 JulyChap. 5 - 15 Aug.

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“Scriptie Planning”• Goal: Scriptie investigating DB as basis

for multipurpose publishing– example: course information– student view (“studiegids”), curriculum

(objectives), functioning (w. evaluations)

• Tasks– examine literature, report– define experiment, report– conclusions

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“Scriptie” (in 4 months)task time

Definition, Lit. 1 mon.

Lit. Review, Intro. 2 wk.

Experiment (incl. written desc.,eval.)

6 wk.

Conclusions, comp. to otherapproaches

2 wk.

Revisions 2 wk.

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“Scriptie” (in 4 months)

task time milestones

Defntn, Literature 1 mon. Def. +1

Lit. Review, Intro. 2 wk. Lit.Rev. +1.5

Exprmnt. (desc., eval.) 6 wk. Exp.Des. +2Results +2.5

Conclsns, comprsns 2 wk. Body +3Full Draft +3.5

Revisions 2 wk.

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Task Structure

• “natural” hierarchy in task-subtasks

P la tes , C u p s N ap k in s , S ilve r

S e t Tab le

W ater in P o t S tove on

B o il W ate r C offee in F ilte r W ate r over C o ffee

C offee C orn F lakes

F ood N ew sp ap er C a ll F am ily

B reak fas t

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Tasks Partially Determine Time

• Food before calling family• Water in pot before turning stove on• Boil water before pouring over coffee

P la tes , C u p s N ap k in s , S ilve r

S e t Tab le

W ater in P o t S tove on

B o il W ate r C offee in F ilte r W ate r over C o ffee

C offee C orn F lakes

F ood N ew sp ap er C a ll F am ily

B reak fas t

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Pert Charts

• Visualize task dependencies– make coffee requires boiling water

• Derive temporal dependencies– first boil the water, then pour it over coffee

• May become complex

boil pour

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Set Table

1 5 mins

Sat 10/28/00 Sat 10/28/00

Food

2 15 mins

Sat 10/28/00 Sat 10/28/00

Newspaper

3 1 min

Sat 10/28/00 Sat 10/28/00

Call Family

4 1 day

Sat 10/28/00 Sat 10/28/00

from MS Project (see assignment four)

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Structure in Pert Charts

• Schedules can slip

• Projection to time line shows consequences– MS project recalculates schedule!

call familyfood15 min

7 am 7:15 am

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Resource Constraints

• Responsibilities for tasks are assigned to individuals

• Easy to confuse “has ability to do task” with “can assume responsibility”

• Time may not be available

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Visualizing Availability

• bar = 100%

• 3 people 7-7:01

0 5 10 15 20

Time

after 7 am

Food Paper Set Table

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Gantt Charts

• tasks shown by bars

• beginning, end

• % fte = line thickness– not in MS project

Task 1

Task 2

begin end

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Example: Linguistics Conference

• 100+ attendees

• Kf 20-40

• 3-4 organizers– volunteers, session chairs, support

• 10-60 referees

• 3-4 conferences/year

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Tasks

• sponsors• publicity• call for papers• invited speakers• selection of papers• publications• program

• rooms• AV equipment• demonstrations• exhibitions• coffee• lunches• hotels• dinner

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• sponsors• publicity• call for papers• invited speakers• selection of papers• publications• program

• rooms• AV equipment• demonstrations• exhibitions• coffee• lunches• hotels• dinner

General Local

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New Steps

• Temporal, internal priority– check w. sponsors before committing

money (inviting speakers)– CFP before selections

• Solicit help (program committee)

• Propose Schedule

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MS Project View

ID Task Name Duration Start

1 Appt. Program Committee 3 wks Mon 1/1/01

2 Appoint Local Committee 1 wk Mon 1/1/01

3 Contact Potential Sponsors 13 wks Mon 1/1/01

4 Call for Papers 2 wks Mon 4/2/01

5 Reserve Rooms 2 wks Mon 4/2/01

6 Equipment (Beamers,etc.) 1 wk Mon 4/2/01

7 Coffee, Lunches 4 wks Mon 4/2/01

Appt. Program Committee Chair3

Appoint Local Committee Chair

Contact Potential Sponsors Chai13 wks

Call for Papers P2

Reserve Rooms L2

Equipment (Beamers,etc.) LA

Coffee, Lunches 4 w

Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr3rd Quarter 4th Quarter 1st Quarter 2nd

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Management Graphics

• Aid in complex planning, communication

• Sensitive to task dependencies, time, resources

• Check on consistency of planning, fidelity to original plans, schedules