Term Project | Planning

One of the critical success factors of your term project is the project plan. During the planning phase, you need to split up the project into manageable pieces which will be later assigned and monitored. Plan ahead- allocate times for different activities

  • Get assistance as needed. Request assistance n the initial stage.
  • Clearly define responsibilities and due dates.
  • Schedule time for combining various parts.

The following section describes how you can do it.

1 Understand project scope

Prepare the project objective as you understand it by considering the requirement provided to you. The deliverables is often a report and a presentation incorporating the different details of the objective specified.

1.1 Significance

Explain why your project is important and how it adds value to you and the organization.

1.2 Expected findings

What do you expect to find after your project.

1.3 Limitation

What might be not accurate due to limitation like time, expertise, lack of data and similar.

2 Plan project activities

2.1 Work breakdown

The tasks are broken down using a method called “Work Breakdown Structure” (WBS). It is a hierarchical structure where the deliverable are decomposed into smaller components. A well-designed WBS makes it easy to assign each project activity to one and only one terminal element of the WBS.

You can use a brainstorming session after collecting the various requirements. Printing the various requirements and exhausting them in a brainstorming session is a good start. You can use a software like XMind to help you collect various ideas. Additionally the software allows you to organize your ideas.

2.2 Project schedule

From the work breakdown structure you can create an activity schedule. This is often done using a tool called “Gantt Chart”. You can easily create a Gantt Chart using a software like Microsoft Project.

3 Risk management

Risk management is an important part for the success of your project. Although often overlooked, it is important to identify as many risks to your project as possible, and be prepared if something bad happens.

Common scenarios could be members not communicating, dependent tasks not getting completed, clashing meeting time and the similar. Here you search for such problems and determine a course of action if such an incident does occur.

4 Communication and progress monitoring

You need to have a clear communication plan. Consider using a Facebook Group and keep your recent documents uploaded. Also maintain a document with all the group members email addresses, and phone numbers. Do call if it is urgent. Consider syncing your lunches and coffee breaks.

  • Take advantage of internet. Brainstorm for ideas in an online meeting/Facebook
  • Use Facebook group page, a project management tool or similar tools to organize your activities.
  • Monitor document progress online.

5 Project budget

Budget for financial, time and other resources required.