Project Planning

1. Project Planning “Every picture tells a story”

2. Learning Objectives: By the end of this topic you should be able to:

3. Learning Objectives: By the end of this topic you should be able to: • describe, interpret and create ….. • Gantt charts • critical path analysis (CPA) ……. as tools for project planning;

4. How can ICT help to plan? Project Management tools: • Gantt charts • Critical Path Analysis (CPA)

5. What’s a Gantt Chart e.g. building a house

6. Using Gantt Charts for Planning • a tool for planning and scheduling projects • an overall plan of the project can be constructed • as a timeline chart • lists the order that tasks need to be completed • each task is represented as a block of time • indicates when each task is to begin • indicatesthe time it will take for each task • lists any necessary predecessor tasks • indicates where simultaneous tasks can occur • indicates total time of project

7. Using Gantt Charts for Planning • staff can be hired and allocated to tasks • people and equipment hired at the right time • ‘pressure points’ in the project can be identified • busy times & critical tasks

8. Creating Gantt charts Note: you’ll need to create some Gantt charts in your project documentation • using the Gantt chart worksheet: • read the example given • attempt the tasks • Create your ‘Project Plan’ timetable & Gantt chart

9. Gantt Charts • answer to June 2013 Q15:

10. Critical Path Analysis

11. Critical Path Analysis

12. Critical Path Analysis In a complex project: • some of the work can go on at the same time; • other sections of work will depend on earlier sections being completed. Critical path analysis is a way of : • showing the relationships between the parts of a project, • showing the times that each part will take to complete • showing the order each part must be done in. • identifying the critical path • the critical path is the path that takes the longest time. • if one of the parts on this critical path is delayed, then the whole project will be delayed

13. CPA example:

14. CPA example: • a project can be broken down into seven tasks - A to G. • task A, which takes 4 weeks must be completed before B or C can start. • both A and C must be completed before B can start.

15. CPA example: • a project can be broken down into seven tasks - A to G. • task A, which takes 4 weeks must be completed before B or C can start. • both A and C must be completed before B can start.

16. CPA example: • a project can be broken down into seven tasks - A to G. • task A, which takes 4 weeks must be completed before B or C can start. • both A and C must be completed before B can start. • so the earliest that task B could begin would be six weeks into the project (4 weeks for A + 2 weeks for C)

17. CPA example: • each path from start to end has a total time, • found by adding up the times of each task on the path. • the critical path is the path that takes the longest time.

18. CPA example: • in the diagram the critical path is: • A  C  B  E  G • which takes a total of 14 weeks to complete • 4 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 2

19. CPA task:

20. CPA answer:

21. CPA task – building a garage:

22. CPA answer:

23. CPA task: