Question: Once you have discussed your project and have decided what activities you will do as a team we have asked you to submit a planning document to your supervisor. Within it we will expect to see at least an overview Gantt chart for your project. This unit will introduce you to Gantt Charts, show how to use Excel to create a Gantt Chart and give you the opportunity to practice a resource planning activity - putting a Gantt Chart together to address this planning task.

Step 1
In Chapter 5, you were introduced to the layout of a simple Gantt Chart. There are some activities that every team will need to do as part of their project. Imagine how you would order and share these common activities for a team of 5 people called Julie, Dave, Mickie, Alice and Sid working on one of these Consultancy projects. Using the simple framework shown below sketch out a simple Gantt chart. These activities have each been given abbreviations in brackets to avoid having to write too much in the Task column on your chart:

Edit of final report (EFR)
Write up draft report (WDR)
Decide on structure for report (DSR)
Design presentation template (DPT)
Find and summarise current articles relating to project area (FSCA)
Analyse results (AR)
Meet/progress reports to the supervisor (MPR)
Prepare draft presentation(PDP)
Prepare final presentation(PFP)
Liaise with the client (LC)
Minute meetings/actions decided (MMAD)