10/24/11 - Workflow ManagementCopyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU1 Project Workflow Management

10/24/11 - Workflow Management Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU2 Workflow Management  Charting the tasks Task relationships and dependencies Task effort Charting

Project Management  When proposing a project the final outcome (prototype, report on investigation, research result) is composed of many individual parts.  “The longest journey begins with but a single step” And adaptation of “A journey of a thousand miles began with a single step” [1904 Sayings of Lao Tzu]  “He who fails to plan is a planning to fail.” Winston Churchill 10/24/11 - Workflow Management Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU3

The goal – Gantt Chart  Before building a Gantt Chart break the work into manageable steps.  A workflow diagram can be constructed once the tasks have been identified.  Each step has a relationship to the entire task. 10/24/11 - Workflow Management Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU4

The Gantt Chart  A type of bar chart Illustrates a project schedule Gives the start and finish dates of the individual tasks Some also show dependencies of tasks  History of the Gantt Chart 1896 – Karol Adamiecki developed a harmongram. First published in 1931 in Poland to 1915 – Henry Gantt designed his chart First applied during the First World War and used by the Emergency Fleet and Shipping Board. 10/24/11 - Workflow Management Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU5

What it looks like  Gantt charts list the tasks, task relationships, manhour projections, and the overall project schedule. 10/24/11 - Workflow Management Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU6

Analysis of individual tasks  It takes skill and an understanding of the problem to deconstruct it into individual tasks.  This is a skill that can be learned.  Analysis takes place in three areas – cost, time and scope 10/24/11 - Workflow Management Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU7

Once analysis done  After the analysis is done, workflow diagrams can be constructed Gantt Charts Pert Charts Workflow diagrams  These can easily be accomplished with Microsoft Project.  Or they can be drawn in a graphics editing tool. 10/24/11 - Workflow Management Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU8

The proposal – the sections  The general format  Cover Page (Title Page)  Executive Summary  Table of Contents  List of Figures  List of Tables 10/24/11 - Workflow Management Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU9

The chapters  1. Introduction Context setting  Why are you writing  Background and Problem Statement – includes scope, limitations and standards  Specifications that must be met Descriptive abstract of remainder of proposal 10/24/11 - Workflow Management Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU10

Body Chapters  Chapter 2 through x Present your exploration of backgound Present your proposed solution to the problem statement Presentation should cover  Concept of your solution  Diagrams and figures explained by the text  Statement of appropriate standards and how they apply to your solution  An analysis of your proposed solution  Test and debugging plan that will be used after a prototype is built. 10/24/11 - Workflow Management Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU11

Managerial  This chapter includes Schedule (Workflow diagram, Gantt chart or similar graphics) Personnel (including assignment to tasks) Costs  Hardware  Personnel – requires an estimate of man-hours on tasks 10/24/11 - Workflow Management Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU12

Conclusions  Summary  Benefits of proposed solution  REFERENCES  APPENDICIES 10/24/11 - Workflow Management Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU13