Project Management

Syllabus Detail

  • Planning, scheduling, budgeting and tracking 11 ATAR, 12 GEN
  • CASE tools Gantt and , PERT charts. 12 ATAR

Background

  • Project management is the action of planning, scheduling, budgeting and tracking to achieve goals in a project or problem
  • Each step is fundamental to ensure that every phase of the project is well thought-out and operational

 

Planning

  • The main purpose is to plan time, cost and resources for the project or problem
  • The planning is generally a document that outlines more details about the project, as well as provides a roadmap

 

Scheduling

  • Scheduling allows us to plan each step of the project along with the expected time
  • We often use Gantt Charts and PERT Charts to outline the time taken for each step of the project
  • Scheduling allows us to work out the critical path for the project timeline

 

Budgeting

  • Budgeting helps us to allocate the financial resources of a project
  • This includes ensuring the budget can accomodate each step of the project without spending more than the project is worth

 

Tracking

  • Tracking allows us to keep up to date with every aspect of the project
  • It's important to keep an eye on each phase of the project to ensure it's going to plan and there are no problems
  • Various tracking and collaboration software is available for groups working on projects, such as BaseCamp

 

CASE Tools

  • Computer-aided Software Engineering tools help to design and implement applications in a project
  • They're often used to design the logical rather than physical aspects of a project or solution
  • Gantt Charts and PERT Charts are the most often used CASE tools in Computer Science

 

Gantt Charts

  • A Gantt Chart is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project schedule
  • Modern day charts show the dependency between activities (e.g. an activity that can't start until another has finished)
  • Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gantt_chart
  • Gantt Charts provide an easy way to clearly see when a project phase can start based off the completed phases

 

PERT Charts

  • A Program Evaluation Review Technique chart is another CASE tool used to help in planning projects
  • Specifically, they aid towards scheduling, organizing and coordinating tasks within a project
  • Source: http://www.mnsu.edu/its/started/website/krypton/
  • A PERT chart shows the amount of time taken on each phase, and in turn the critical, maximum and minimum pathways

  

Step 5 - Further Research

  1. Watch a video on Gantt and PERT Charts here
  2. Check out some project management software here
  3. [Advanced] Check out how to create a clear project plan here
  4. Check out Tom's Planner to create free Gantt Charts online here

 

Step 6 - Worksheet and Practice (yet to be added)

 

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