Project management

self help module

contents

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what is a project? project dimensions scope, quality, time, cost, risk get the project started
dene the project write a project brief example project brief example consultant project brief manage stakeholder expectations assess the project context

9-

develop the project plan

how to create a project plan identify tasks and milestones place the tasks in order estimate task times and dates allocate tasks to project team members identify costs and resources review the plan and critical path, develop contingencies and a Gantt chart key steps to develop a project plan case study: Noahs Ark planning for The Flood Noahs Ark Scheduling Chart Noahs Ark Gantt Chart Noahs Ark Contingency Chart

20 -

Implement the project

manage the team ground rules communication build team commitment roles and responsibilities informal monitoring formal monitoring manage conict key steps for implementing a project

contents

23 -

manage multiple projects

track each project get organised manage interruptions learn to say no get help and delegate

25 -

complete the project

test outcomes and complete nal tasks evaluate the project say thank you and celebrate key steps for completing a project

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summary of key steps for project management case study examples

project brief example Kurri Kurri task schedule example Lismore gantt chart example festival set up gantt chart example Lismore work plan example Caldera Institute

Disclaimer Any representation, statement, opinion or advice, expressed or implied, in this publication is made in good faith but on the basis that the State of New South Wales, its agents and employees are not liable (whether by reason of negligence, lack of care or otherwise) to any person for any damage or loss whatsoever which has or may occur in relation to that person taking or not taking (as the case may be) action in respect of any representation, statement or advice referred to above.

module overview what is a project

introduction
This module is designed for project leaders who are coordinating or managing a community project. A good project manager pays attention to detail and is a big-picture thinker, entrepreneur and alliance-builder. They should be able to anticipate problems, synchronise a group effort and deal with conict when it arises. This module will introduce some of the tools and techniques of project management and people management skills that impact on the success or failure of leading a project team and completing a project. On completion of this module you will be able to: understand and explain the dimensions of a project write a project brief develop a scheduling chart and project plan establish and manage a project team implement, evaluate and complete a project demonstrate time management skills and strategies for managing multiple projects

what is a project?
Projects vary in size and complexity, but generally they have specic aims, a budget and an end point. They are different from ongoing tasks such as general administration because projects include tasks with some degree of complexity. This module focuses on the more formal and signicant projects that are identied as actions in the Community Strategic Plan (refer to Self Help Module 3 Community Strategic Planning). These projects are initiated to achieve priority objectives for the community program and often involve a range of people. Examples of projects might include an event, a cooperative marketing campaign, a plan to repaint buildings in the main street, regenerate the riverbank or develop a walking track.

tip
Projects have a clearly dened aim or set of objectives that must be achieved within a xed amount of time and cost. At the end, the project will produce outcomes (project deliverables) that were dened at the start of the project.

project dimensions scope, quality, time, cost, risk

There are ve fundamental concepts of project management that are useful to understand. Imagine you have decided to paint the old picture theatre in the main street. You decide that you will only paint the facade; you will use two colours and three coats of paint. It will cost $560 for paint, brushes and rollers and $40 for lunches for the volunteers. There is no labour cost as it is a community working bee with 6 volunteers and will be completed over one weekend. A local painter can lend you his spray machine, but it is slightly faulty and could make a bigger mess than you can handle, so you decide not to borrow the machine. This simple plan demonstrates the dimensions of your project: 1. Scope this denes what the project encompasses, ie to paint the facade of the building; 2. Quality you have decided on two colours and three coats of paint as you want a good quality nish that will last at least 15 years; 3. Time it will take two days to organise volunteers, their meals and purchase materials and two days to complete the painting. It will be nished at the end of a set weekend; 4. Cost your budget is $600; and 5. Risk you are choosing the low risk option of painting by hand as you know you can complete the task in two days. Even though the machine may be faster it may also take longer if it breaks down or causes mess or damage to the main street. These ve dimensions of a project are inter-dependent variables. Change any one of them and you may impact on the others. For example, change the scope and add the interior entry to be painted as well as the facade and you will increase the time and cost. Alternatively, you could reduce the quality and only use two coats of paint or you may decide to use the spray machine you could complete the project in time, but youve changed the budget or the risk. There are many ways you can juggle the dimensions of your project.

get the project started

1. Define the project 2. Write a project brief 3. Manage stakeholder expectations 4. Assess the project context Once the community strategic plan has been developed, some of the priority actions become the projects for that year. A project manager will be appointed to oversee and manage the project. The project manager might be a committee member, a member of the community, a local community organisation representative or someone hired for their specialist expertise. For small projects you may be the project manager and the person who does all the planned tasks. On some projects instead of developing a team to delegate tasks, you may work with a variety of stakeholders, so your planning could identify these interactions. For larger projects you may develop a project team or committee and it is this team that you will be managing. Raising revenue for the project will be part of the overall responsibility of the team. Project management is about structure, control, attention to detail and continuously driving action. The following gives an overview of the things a project manager needs to do to deliver a project: Make sure there is a clear understanding why a project is being done and what it will produce; Plan the project to understand how long it will take and how much it will cost; Manage the project to ensure that as it progresses it achieves the objectives and is delivered within the set timeframe and budget; and Complete the project properly to make sure everything produced works as required and has the expected quality. Dont be overwhelmed by the planning suggestions in this module what is presented is the theory of what you can do to plan and implement your project. In reality not many community projects managed by community teams are planned to the level of project management that is outlined in this module. If you do follow the steps over successive projects, your project management skills will improve and you will become more condent and professional in your approach. Do what you can the rst time round the process is quite simple. If you use this module to build your skills over several projects, you will become more skilled and organised in project management as well as other aspects of your business and personal life. Define the project Successful projects start by understanding clearly what the end point is and what you want out of it. A very simple way to start planning any project is to use the why, how and what method as they are the most important elements to dene your project and identify its scope. Why do you want to do this project and what will you have at the end that you dont have now? The time to get the project denition right is at the beginning, before you start. Depending on the type of project, this initial planning can be followed by who, where, when, costs. Why are you doing this project? Identify your project aim and/or objectives. What is the scope of this project? How are you going to achieve your why and your desired outcomes what are you going to do to? Who is the project aimed at? Dene your target markets for, say, an event, website or marketing campaign project. Conversely who can be the people you will choose to be on your project team. Where will the project take place, for example the venue for a particular event or where will you hold team meetings or establish a project ofce? When does the project start and nish? Identify the end date once you know that, you can work backwards from that date, dene the main tasks, estimate how long they will take and identify the date that you need to start the project. Costs - what are the indicative or estimated costs to deliver the project? Now you have enough information to start developing a project brief. A project brief is a very handy tool that can: communicate the aims and scope of the project; attract team members to work on your project; keep you on track; be used for funding applications; and help skill yourself to become more professional at project management.

The brief can be used to ensure that stakeholders such as the sponsoring organisation can understand and endorse the project. It is worthwhile taking the time to develop a project brief - it doesnt have to be very complex.

Constraints Are there any signicant problems you are aware of that you need to overcome? Some projects may be constrained by specic issues such as: Availability of volunteers, equipment, or expertise Legal requirements Financial limitations Methodology (How) States how the project will be completed Timeframe (When) States the start and nish dates. Other information could include milestone dates such as mid-term reports or individual times for the project. Financial Resources Dene your sources of funds and fundraising. You may include an initial budget, if known. Management of the Project Identify the project manager and team members and their relevance to the project. Briey outline the formal reporting arrangements to the committee, funding or sponsoring organisation.

tip
Start by understanding why you are doing the project then dene what it is not the other way round. Forcing yourself to write the project down is a great way to ensure it makes sense.

Write a project brief Writing a project brief will help you to clarify the aims of the project. If the aims of a project are not precise the project is in danger of failing or delivering the wrong outcomes. If you are clear about the projects objectives and key tasks at the start, it will help you to evaluate the project on its completion. The brief outlines the aims and objectives of the project, describes the methodology that will be used to meet those objectives and outlines the timeframe and resources needed for successful implementation. Briefs will vary as complex projects will contain more detail than simple ones. The following is a pro forma example for a project brief: Brief Introduction or Background (Why) Factors leading to the need for the project. Aims of the Project A concise statement describing the projects basic purpose. Aims are broad, general statements that describe the overall change/s that will occur from the project. However, if you want to be more precise, you could list the objectives of the project which are more specic with measurable outcomes. Target Markets - optional (Who) Who the project is aimed at, such as target markets for an event. Place optional (Where) Where the project will take place such as a venue for an event or project ofce location.

Example project brief

PROJECT OUTLINE RETAILER TRAINING WORKSHOP

Introduction A series of focus groups were held with a range of different shopper segments in Smithtown. Poor customer service was identified as the number one issue, followed by poor window displays and merchandise displays. Previous requests have been received from retailers for window and merchandise display training, however, local retailers do not acknowledge that their customer service is poor. Statement of aims To raise the customer service and display skill levels of local retail businesses by providing a workshop presented by a training consultant. Objectives To update customer service skills of 15 local retailers To improve window and merchandise displays in the CBD To increase local loyalty and visitor spending by 5% through improved presentation and service skills To stimulate retailer interest to attend further training courses Methodology Both training subjects will be combined in the one workshop to ensure the customer service training is attended. Training will be offered to three people per business for the one price (owner, manager, floor staff) to ensure that the training is consistent throughout all levels of local businesses. An evaluation survey will be used at the end of the workshop to identify further training needs. Research and acquire seed funding Research available customer service training consultants and book consultant Develop retailer invitations, venue and catering Design post session evaluation Acquit funding

Timeframe Invitations will be sent to retailers by 14 October The workshop will be held at 5.30-7.30pm, 28 October Funding will be acquitted by 30 November Budget Expenditure In Kind Consultants fees (including airfare, accommodation and meals) Coordination and administration Marketing Catering Total Income In Kind Business contributions I&I NSW funding Airline (sponsored ticket) Total Management of the project Project Manager Smithtown Coordinator Retail Committee Team members Sue Smith, Billie Doyle $ 5,500 500 350 150 6,500 $ 3,000 3,000 500 6,500

If the project requires the use of a consultant, the brief can be altered and sent to a range of consultants so they can develop their tender, quotation or expression of interest. The budget will not be

included in the consultants brief. The methodology will reect the consultants tasks. Resources available to the consultant may be added with contact details and proposal deadlines.

Example consultant project brief

SMITHTOWN BUSINESS GROUP Customer Service and Display Training Workshop

Background Describe the location of the town, local government area and size of the population. Describe the attributes of the town/area, how shopping links into the local economy and what target markets shop in Smithtown. You may describe the key resources or points of interest that form the basis of your shopping appeal, such as riverside gardens with outdoor dining and diverse restaurant styles or a range of clothing stores, second hand goods or other specialities. You may add issues affecting the town; how they impact on shopping, initiatives that are planned and other relevant information. Purpose of the consultancy Describe why you need to develop the training workshop. State the projects core aims and objectives use the introduction and aims from your project brief. Project outline Describe the project and list actions. What you expect the consultant to do for the project or take into account. State the resources available to the consultant and list any relevant documentation. State the dates and times of the required retailer workshop. State any requirements of the funding body that would relate to the hiring of a consultant eg insurance cover. Consultant methodology Provide a list of requirements for the consultants proposal . This also makes it easier to compare quotations eg: Previous experience in working with similar communities; Training experience and expertise in customer service and display training; Work plan for the project, if appropriate; Suggested consultation methods; Timeline; and Consultant costs.

Contact details State who is managing the project and provide the contact details for further information. Include the time and date that proposals should be received by () and who they should be forwarded to (contact details).

Manage stakeholder expectations Many community projects are very visible such as developing new town gateway signs or beautifying the main street. It is vital to understand what the different stakeholders expect. The success of the project depends on other peoples contributions so its important to engage as many people as possible. For example, a successful cooperative marketing campaign will need to include lots of enthusiastic businesses. Be sure to identify all stakeholders - leaving people out can lead to resentment. Clarify the expectations of the key stakeholders. When there are competing expectations make this fact known. It helps people re-dene and agree on priorities and realistic outcomes. Be clear on the needs and expectations that will not be met. Nothing is worse than over-promising and under-delivering! Examples of stakeholders for your project may include: Property owners Council Sponsors Media organisations The committee Retailers/businesses The funding organisation for this project Government funding organisations The community in general Special interest groups.

Assess the project context Every project has a context. A project may be a new initiative or a regular feature of the community strategic plan in successive years. It could be controversial in the community. Funding sources may have a signicant inuence on the outcome. Assessing these strategic issues at the beginning will help avoid problems as the project proceeds. The checklist on the following page may help you to prepare for your project.

Questions to ask yourself about the project Are the projects aims controversial or neutral? If your projects aims are controversial you will need good support from key stakeholders. Are the projects aims changing or static? If the aims are changing you may need to review your project plan frequently. Be prepared to change direction and keep people informed of modications. Are there many stakeholders or just a few? If there are many stakeholders you will have to work harder at communicating. Are the key stakeholders committed to the projects aims? If not, the project is at risk. Before you start think about how to get their commitment.

Questions to ask yourself about each stakeholder Who are the stakeholders? How is this stakeholder affected by the project?

What are their needs and concerns? What are their ideal outcomes? What constraints will this stakeholder place on the project?

Key steps for starting a project Dene the project Write a project brief Assess the project context Use the SMART principle (Specic, Measurable, Achievable, Resources needed, Timeframe)

develop the project plan

The project plan shows how you will do the project, including how long it will take and how much it will cost. It will also allow you to check that you can complete the work within the timeframe and budget. For example, you may have to complete the project by May, but the plan shows that it is not possible to complete all the tasks until late June, or that the $10,000 budget is unrealistic and you need to raise another $3,000. There are many ways to document a project plan. For instance, it could include the project brief, an itemised budget and a chart that schedules all the tasks you need to do to complete the project. The scheduling chart shows the order of the tasks, the length of time each task will take and who is responsible for doing each one. It also shows dependencies tasks that are dependent on previous tasks being started or completed before they can commence. Project planning is a process of sequencing activities and organising resources. A good project plan will help you to identify problems before they occur and ensure the project is completed on time.

tip
A project plan allows you to allocate work to different people in the team, so the plan is also a tool for work allocation and management of people.

tip
Resist the temptation to skimp on your planning so you can start work immediately. Time spent planning in the early stages of the project will be paid back in much greater time saved later.

Before you start scheduling the tasks in your project plan, ask yourself a few questions, following below:

Questions to ask yourself about scheduling Is the end-date dictated by a xed event? If this is the case you will need to schedule from the end of the project and work backwards to the start date. Do you know what resources are available at each stage? If you are able to access more resources you may be able to shorten the time taken or lessen the cost of the project, for instance a local business may offer to do some of your marketing work or local volunteers may be able to provide equipment such as earthworks or a truck to provide a stage area. Is your project breaking new ground? If so, it may be difcult to predict all the sequences. You may have to make an initial guess and be prepared to adjust the timeframes. Stay exible to take advantage of opportunities and alter your plan as you go.

How to create a project plan There are basically six steps to follow to develop your scheduling chart. Note: if you are doing the project yourself and there are no team members, skip item four, or use that step to identify stakeholders that you will interact with throughout the project. 1. Identify tasks and possible milestones 2. Place the tasks in order 3. Estimate task times 4. Allocate tasks to team members 5. Identify costs and resources and update your budget 6. Review the project plan and develop contingencies that may be required. You could also present the project plan as actions in a planning tool such as a Gantt chart. Identify tasks and milestones You can identify tasks by yourself but it is good to involve others. Try to have no more than 5 or 6 people for a brainstorming session. You wont get it right the rst time, nor will they be in the correct order. Write down every task you think you need to do for the project making each task discrete and separate. A useful method is to use yellow sticky note pads with each task written on a separate sheet. You can stick them onto a whiteboard, butchers paper or the wall of your ofce. It helps to think of the project in categories. Start by identifying the categories in the project and then the main tasks within those categories. You can break each main task into sub tasks and then, if necessary, break those sub tasks into even smaller tasks. Continue to move through each category and each main task and break them into sub-tasks until you have identied all the tasks associated with the project. This sounds daunting, but it is achievable. You wont get all the tasks the rst time. Youll nd you keep thinking of more things and you keep adding them in. Thats OK during this initial planning stage. For example, some of the categories identied to develop a youth performance concert were staging, marketing, performances, judging and prizes. The staging category was broken down into the following main tasks to develop the stage, lighting, sound, crew. The stage main task was broken down into the following sub tasks obtain quotes for the stage, select the stage supplier, establish a stage contract, plan set up/pull down plan procedures and establish stage security. The following chart outlines this example:

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STAGING

Stage

Lighting

Sound

Crew

Obtain quotes for stage

Select stage supplier

Establish stage contract

Set up / pull down plan procedures

Establish stage security

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If you are new to project planning, it can sometimes be hard to know how much detail to go into in breaking down tasks. There are no rules to follow. You need to estimate times, costs, work allocation and manage the delivery of the project. It doesnt have to be too complicated. For example, you may decide to identify the categories and only schedule the main tasks within each category, leaving the detailed sub tasks for team members to identify as they implement the project. If the project is repeated (such as an annual event or business directory), all the sub-tasks could be listed by team members and the schedule could be updated and planned more accurately the following year. If the project is long or complex, it is good to add some milestones into the schedule to track and communicate progress. Milestones are outcomes which show when you have completed an important stage in the project. Tasks may alter or change in order, but milestones dont. Milestones are not necessarily activities (although often they can be) but they reect the completion of a series of activities to a point where the next stage of development can continue. A common project management tool is called the Gantt chart which is a type of bar chart used as a visual tool to illustrate a project schedule. In the example of Noahs project on page 18 rain starts and set sail are marked as milestones on the Gantt chart. On an events project, perimeter fence erected might be identied as a milestone so the next set of tasks can be completed. Select only a few milestones as too many distract from the project as a whole one milestone per month could be a good rule of thumb for a long project. Place the tasks in order You need to sort the tasks into their approximate sequence and list them in order. This is easier if you have used the method of tasks written on sticky notes as you can easily move the tasks around. You may identify some tasks where you can start, then you need to wait for something else to happen before you can complete it. Divide that task into two parts, so you can place the tasks in the correct order.

There are dependencies between some tasks which means they can only be done in a certain order. For example, an event may have perimeter fence erected as a milestone because erecting the marquee and stage are dependent on having a safe, lockable event area. Check the order of your tasks to ensure that dependent tasks ow in the correct manner. When you have organised the tasks in a logical order for implementation, number each task and then each sub-task within that number to form a work breakdown structure (WBS). Each major task has a number (1, 2, 3 etc) and each subtask that relates to that number follows (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 etc). The task numbers are there for administration purposes later on and also help you to handle your sticky notes - if you swap them around, you can keep track of them. When you have the tasks in order and the numbering completed, you can list the tasks from your sticky notes into a scheduling chart, like the example on the following page:

WBS no. 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4

Task Description Select a contractor Identify your needs for the contractor Write a tender Identify contractors, send out the tender Collate contractor responses Review responses, select contractor Prepare the project ofce Design the ofce layout Source/appoint trades people Install new carpet Install new reception desk Install telephone, etc.

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1.5 2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5

You can then list the dependencies, for example: WBS Task Description no. 1 Select a contractor 1.1 Identify your needs for the contractor 1.2 Write a tender 1.3 Identify contractors, send out the tender 1.4 Collate contractor responses 1.5 Review responses, select contractor 2 Prepare the project ofce 2.1 Design the ofce layout 2.2 Source/appoint trades people 2.3 Install new carpet 2.4 Install new reception desk 2.5 Install telephone, etc. 2.2 2.3 2.4 1.4 1.1 1.2 Dependency

Estimate task times and dates It is often difcult to estimate how long a project will take. Try to make your task estimates accurate but dont worry if they are not perfect as you will get better at it with experience. Your estimates should be made on the effort it actually takes to do the task, which is the amount of time you must work on something to complete it. You need to decide on the unit of time that you are estimating depending on the size of the project eg you may estimate in terms of hours, days, weeks or months. If you dont know how long a task will take, you can ask someone who does know or use any available rule of thumb (eg, it takes one hour to dig a one metre hole) or you can model it against other tasks that are similar. You can break the task down further into smaller parts to make it easier to estimate or you can just make an educated guess. On your scheduling chart you can now add the unit of time. Working backwards from the end date you can also estimate the start and nish times for each task, using the unit of time. Dont forget to take into account weekends, holidays and availability of team members. For larger projects planning software can be very useful at this stage as it automatically calculates start and end dates and changes them when you change the length of any other task or the availability of people to do the work, saving you time and effort.

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WBS Task Description no. 1 Select a contractor 1.1 Identify your needs for the contractor 1.2 Write a tender 1.3 Identify contractors, send out the tender 1.4 Collate contractor responses 1.5 Review responses, select contractor 2 Prepare the project ofce 2.1 Design the ofce layout 2.2 Source/appoint trades people 2.3 Install new carpet 2.4 Install new reception desk 2.5 Install telephone, etc.

Depen- Time in dency Days

Start Date

End Date

0.5 30/04 30/04 1.1 1.2 0.5 01/05 01/05 0.5 02/06 02/06 14.0 16/06 16/06 1.4 1.5 01/07 01/07

2.0 04/07 06/07 7.0 09/07 16/07 2.2 2.3 2.4 0.5 23/07 23/07 1.0 24/07 24/07 0.5 25/07 25/07

Allocate tasks to project team members Once you have a task list you are ready to identify who you need in your project team. In reality for community projects you will probably end up forming a team of people who are available and willing to work as volunteers on the project. However, look at what skills are required for the tasks and match them where possible or seek further team members with the appropriate set of skills. Make sure people have the time and commitment to work on the project and the right attitude towards it. People who have the right attitude will often put in more effort and not let the team down. Nothing is more annoying for the rest of the team if you have to carry a few uninterested team members who are not pulling their weight by completing their tasks. List the team members responsible for each task and your schedule chart will start to look like this:

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WBS Task Description no. 1 Select a contractor 1.1 Identify your needs for the contractor 1.2 Write a tender 1.3 Identify contractors, send out the tender 1.4 Collate contractor responses 1.5 Review responses, select contractor 2 Prepare the project ofce 2.1 Design the ofce layout 2.2 Source/appoint trades people 2.3 Install new carpet 2.4 Install new reception desk 2.5 Install telephone, etc.

Depen- Time in dency Days

Start Date

End Date

Who?

0.5 30/04 30/04 1.1 1.2 0.5 01/05 01/05 0.5 02/06 02/06 14.0 16/06 16/06 1.4 1.5 01/07 01/07

Bill/ Steve Bill Bill Steve Bill/ Steve

2.0 04/07 06/07 7.0 09/07 16/07

Steve

2.2 2.3 2.4

Contractor Con0.5 23/07 23/07 tractor 1.0 24/07 24/07 Council 0.5 25/07 25/07 Contractor

Identify costs and resources Add another column in the scheduling chart and use the activities or resources to identify costs associated with the project.

WBS Task Description no. 1 Select a contractor

Depen- Time in dency Days

Start Date

End Date

Who?

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1.1 Identify your needs for the contractor 1.2 Write a tender 1.3 Identify contractors, send out the tender 1.4 Collate contractor responses 1.5 Review responses, select contractor 2 Prepare the project ofce 2.1 Design the ofce layout 2.2 Source/appoint trades people 2.3 Install new carpet 2.4 Install new reception desk 2.5 Install telephone, etc. An initial cost target or budget would have been compiled at the project brief stage. The initial budget was possibly based on a rough costing of the activities or resources to be used or on experience of previous similar projects. Having identied the costs in the scheduling chart, you can now start to update or compile a project budget. You will need to identify all the variable costs (that depend on how much of something you use) and the xed costs (which you have to pay for irrespective of how much you use). Other expenses will include things like wages and use of the ofce and equipment etc. Depending on the type of project, some amount of contingency may need to be added as a buffer zone if all expenses are not known at this stage. The project budget will also show all sources of the income, including any existing budget, external funding, revenue to be raised etc. Make a list of other resources required for the project, such as computers, ofce space, use of a hall etc. Look at the costs and resources required for your project and check the resources available within your organisation, council or community to assist with in kind support, as this may alter the costs in your budget. 2.2 2.3 2.4 1.4 1.1 1.2

0.5 30/04 30/04 0.5 01/05 01/05 0.5 02/06 02/06 14.0 16/06 16/06 1.5 01/07 01/07

Bill/ Steve Bill Bill Steve Bill/ Steve

2.0 04/07 06/07 7.0 09/07 16/07

Steve

Contractor Con0.5 23/07 23/07 tractor 1.0 24/07 24/07 Council 0.5 25/07 25/07 Contractor

2,565 3,500 250

Review the plan, develop contingencies and other tools such as a Gantt chart Review your project plan to check if you are able to deliver the project, if it is feasible or if there is a better way to deliver it. Before you nalise the plan, you may need to add some contingency to account for any risk in the project for time and cost estimates. Some projects are more risky than others. It may be enough to look over your plan and identify the possible failure points such as wet weather during outdoor events or a back-up generator for the main stage. Or you may estimate a contingency for the whole project. For example you may think its a low risk project so you only need to add a 10% buffer to the costs and time. Otherwise you can look at how much risk is associated with every time and cost estimate for each element of the project, identify the risks and add contingency for each of them. This is more accurate but can be time consuming for a complex project. Where you can estimate something accurately you wont require a contingency, but when you do not know or there are assumptions about the task you may need to add a contingency factor. If you dont use the contingency in one risk, you can save it as a buffer for another risk that appears that you hadnt anticipated. It is better to come in on or under budget and timeframe than over budget and late. The Noahs Ark example contingency plan is on page 19 and an example from the Lismore Herb Festival is in the case study examples section at the end of this module on page 34. You need to review the time it will take to deliver the project. The critical path is the longest duration path through a set of tasks in a project. If a task on a critical path is delayed by one day, then the entire project will be delayed by one day. Other tasks that are not on the critical path can usually move around without changing the overall time of the project. The Gantt chart is a bar chart of the project that creates an excellent visual tool for stakeholders to understand how the project will be implemented. It is probably the best known project planning and control tool and is popular because it is relatively simple to prepare and easy to read. You can use the Gantt chart to get agreement about how the project will be organised or you could circulate it for comment if you are working on a project by yourself. This is a useful way to get feedback in case you have overlooked important details. Examples of Gantt charts can be seen for the Noahs Ark project on page 18 and in the case study examples section of this module on page 28. Your project plan will now consist of the project brief, the budget, the sequencing chart, contingency plans and the Gantt chart.

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Key steps to develop a project plan Brainstorm a task list Identify the project categories and the main tasks in each category List the sub tasks together under each main task and try to arrange them in a logical order. Check if you have identied all the tasks you need and add in any missing tasks and t them where they are appropriate Review risks within the project and develop contingency plans to minimise the risks Develop a Gantt chart of the main tasks as a visual tool to explain the project and keep you on track throughout the implementation period.

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Break tasks down into smaller parts until you can see all the activities related to a particular task repeat this until you feel you have all the tasks needed to deliver the plan Ensure all the tasks are different if some are the same, remove one or two or if they overlap, re-dene them so they are separate activities If you have made more changes, sort and le your tasks again to ensure they are in the correct order under each main task heading and category Number your tasks on the sticky notes to create your work breakdown structure (WBS) Convert your sticky notes into a sequencing chart. Start lling in the rst two columns of the sequencing chart with the WBS number and the task description. Once it is in this format you may indentify some more missing tasks to add to the chart Estimate the time for the main tasks (and sub tasks if you are planning at that level). You can identify the time for the main tasks by adding together the estimated length of time for each sub task in that section Working backwards from the end date, identify the start and end dates for the main tasks Identify team members and allocate tasks on the plan, matching skills. Recruit team members to complete the tasks and establish the team (if this has not already been done before this stage) and/or add team members to cover any skill gaps Identify the cost elements measured against the activities and resources required for the project add cost contingencies where appropriate Use the costs to update the budget Add time contingencies to the plan as a buffer Review the plan with your project team to determine if it is feasible or if there is a better way to deliver it Review the timing of the plan and determine the critical path

case study: Noahs Ark planning for The Flood

Weve used an imaginary plan for Noahs Ark as a simple example of project planning. The following is a scheduling chart, a Gantt chart and a contingency plan for this project. As per the step-by-step scheduling process on the previous pages, the Noahs Ark tasks were listed, put into a rough sequence and numbered on the scheduling chart. The dependency relationships were added, followed by the estimated duration for each task.

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Noahs Ark Scheduling Chart

case study

WBS no. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Task Description Notice of rain Get materials Build ark Get supplies Get animals Load supplies Load animals Rain starts Flood/oat Set sail

Dependency

Duration in days

1 2 1 4 4 3, 5, 6 1 8 9

10 20 10 20 20 5 0 10 0

Noahs Ark Gantt Chart The Gantt Chart for Noahs project shows that the project will start in the beginning of July and nish on August 26. The arrows show how the tasks are related. The time is expressed on the X-axis with the activities and sub-activities listed on the Y-axis. July ID Task Name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 40 days notice of rain Get materials Build ark Get supplies Get animals Load supplies Load animals Rain starts Flood/oat Set sail
Mrs Noah Mrs Noah Sons Noah 15/08 All 26/08 GOD Sons Noah, Sons

August

September

28/06 05/07 12/07 19/07 26/07 02/08 09/08 16/08 23/08 30/08 06/09 13/09

case study: Noahs Ark Contingency Chart

What could go wrong?

What can we do about it?

Effects Ramp collapses when elephants embark Shortage of peanuts for monkeys Ark construction runs late

Likely Causes Inadequate construction Crop failure

Prevention or improvement Reinforce ramp; Load one by one Daily rationing system Introduce 24 hour, 7 day/ week dispute resolution process

Contingency Plan Back-up ramp

Warning indicators Creaking sounds Excessive chattering Scheduled tasks not completed on time

19

case study

Extra bananas

Labour disputes

Complete hull and deck as a priority Buy tarpaulins

implement the project

1. Manage your team and monitor progress against the plan 2. Keep relevant stakeholders informed of progress 3. Resolve issues and manage risks or changes 4. Take action to ensure your project is successful 5. Keep updating the project plan and budget Manage the team After you have developed your plan, you have to manage your team and the delivery of the project. You need to ensure that the project is started on time and that each team member understands what they have to do. You need to have a good communication strategy with your team members, talking to them frequently so you can monitor and keep track of their progress. It is also important that your team members are able to have easy access to you if they need to discuss any matters. You need to resolve any issues or problems and avoid future problems by taking action beforehand. On smaller projects the project manager will have time to do other work, but on larger projects the project manager will generally be working on it full time. Managing progress means that you measure the pace of work by yourself and the team to ensure it matches the plan. In reality no project goes exactly to plan, so you can measure against the plan by assessing if things are going fast enough or not and then take action to speed things up if you feel its getting behind, as some tasks will run late. You can only measure progress when tasks are completed, not when people are half way through them. If team members tell you they have completed their tasks, try to see evidence of it. Youll need to establish regular informal and formal meetings and reporting procedures with them. You will also need to keep stakeholders informed of the projects progress. You need to keep on top of your budget and ensure that you are not overspending. You may need to make adjustments elsewhere to keep the budget in check. You may spend a lot of time resolving issues that arise or risks that may occur. If changes are made to the project, you may need to assess and manage any impacts on timeframes and costs. Ground rules Establish some ground rules - or a code of conduct that will provide a framework for team members to challenge each others behaviour without the issue becoming a personal attack. Ground rules promote focus, openness, commitment and trust. To be effective, ground rules need to be developed by the team and be specic enough to be practical.

20

Issue examples Attendance: Start and nish on time. Let the Chairperson know if you cant attend. Discussion: Open and honest, no hidden agendas. Treat everyone with respect; ensure all have the opportunity to contribute. Decisions: How will decisions be made by team leader, consensus or majority? Condentiality: What leaves this room is only what we agree will leave this room. Outcomes: We do what we say well do keep commitments. Confrontation: No nger pointing target the ideas, not the people. Look for what is right with an idea before you look for what is wrong. Contributions: Everyone pulls his or her weight.

Communication Develop a communication strategy. Providing information is one part of your communication strategy. To do this effectively means getting the right message to the right person at the right time. This takes a lot of thought, preparation and follow through. Use your stakeholder list as a base for a communication strategy. Look at the Gantt chart and identify who needs to be informed and who needs to be consulted at each stage of the project. The following are examples of different types of approaches and materials you can use to communicate about the project and ensure ongoing commitment to its outcomes: Team meetings Public meetings Letters Stories in local paper Newsletters Presentations or displays Flyers or posters Briengs Information on home page E-mails Workshops and forums Surveys Reports Minutes of meetings

Roles and responsibilities Develop a communication strategy. Providing information is one part of your communication strategy. To do this effectively means getting the right message to the right person at the right time. This takes a lot of thought, preparation and follow through. Use your stakeholder list as a base for a communication strategy. Look at the Gantt chart and identify who needs to be informed and who needs to be consulted at each stage of the project. Sorting out early who does what in the project will minimise confusion later. This is the time to identify delegations. Who will have the authority to spend money, sign contracts and make certain decisions? People involved in the project will have specic responsibilities owing from the project tasks, with the committee chairperson, the project manager and team members each having general roles and responsibilities that should be claried at the beginning of each project. Committee chairpersons role Depending on their availability, the committee chairperson is sometimes a member of the project team. He or she may prepare the agenda and chair the meeting, if appropriate and generally help the team leader keep the project on track. If the committee chairperson is not part of the team, he or she should be available to provide assistance with resolving problems beyond the scope of the team leader. The chairpersons role is to guide the team and facilitate the process. Committee chairpersons responsibilities Provide support or be a mentor to the team leader Help the team meet its aims and timeframe Link this project to other relevant projects Ensure that the project team has the resources to complete the project Assist with removal of roadblocks Chair meetings if required Project managers role Providing a planning and monitoring focus, making the best use of individual competencies and gaining and maintaining commitment are some of the key challenges for the team leader. The role involves good organisational and leadership capabilities combined with strong interpersonal skills. Sometimes it helps if the team leader can seek guidance from a qualied person outside the team. Understands the governance and signoff requirements for the project. Project managers responsibilities Determines and communicates the projects aims Helps the team to plan the project

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Build team commitment Building commitment depends on getting a good balance between getting the job done, individual development and gaining and maintaining group cohesion. There is a tendency to focus on getting the job done and pay less attention to individual needs and group cohesion. Each team member needs to know their role and what tasks they are expected to do, when they should do them, what resources they can access and how they will keep you updated on progress. You will possibly speak to different team members on a daily basis as part of your informal monitoring, but you will need to have regular, formal meetings once a week or once a month, depending on the size and pace of the project. At the meeting you can ask each team member what they have achieved since the last meeting and what they plan to do in the next week/month. Identify and discuss any new issues, risks or changes. Document minutes of the meeting, with actions highlighted for each team member, passing on information or outlining what they need to achieve by the next meeting.

22

Keeps stakeholders informed and involved with the project Assists the team to stay focussed on the aims and tasks Maintains an overview and identies issues Performs some of the tasks Manages meetings and assists the team to review progress Monitors and reports (formally and informally) on progress to the committee and funding organisations Promotes communication across the team Acts as an ambassador for the project Acknowledges contributions and seeks input to decision-making. Team members role Team members may have more than one role in a project team. Individuals may bring specic expertise, or represent a group, or both. Other responsibilities are expected of the team members outside of their technical or representational roles. In particular, members have an obligation to the whole team to make a full contribution to achieving the project aims. Team members responsibilities Contributes skills, abilities and experience Provides input to decision-making Claries and fulls assigned tasks Monitors and reports to the team leader on progress with assigned tasks Accepts leadership and direction Looks for and identies issues Accepts ownership of team decisions Contributes to maintaining the teams unity Pursues cooperative and collaborative approaches to team activities Maintains enthusiasm and participation. Informal monitoring Relying on formal communication alone is risky. Early warning of problems usually comes through informal channels. The project manager should ask questions and stay in regular contact with everyone involved. Issues management Monitoring and reporting on progress is straightforward when the project stays on track. When things are not going well, there is a tendency to hide the bad news. Be concerned when people stop contact. This can be prevented by creating a workplace environment that encourages ethical practise and collaborative problem-solving processes. Formal monitoring Regular project team meetings are effective ways of focusing the teams attention on progress. Use your Gantt chart tasks as a base.

Minor delays or changes should be observed and discussed. Slippage and cost overruns are often caused by a succession of minor problems that accumulate. A regular progress report is usually required by the committee and funding agencies for more complex projects. Often progress reports include the following information: Project title Project aim or objective Progress since last report Problems that have arisen Anticipated progress for next period Emerging problems Costs and revenue compared with budget

In team-based projects, meetings are the arena for planning, generating ideas, problem solving, negotiating and tracking progress. Successful project team meetings are the result of good planning and management. An effective chairperson is also important. Refer to the Conducting meetings module in this series for further information on running successful meetings. Manage conflict Conict in projects arises for a number of reasons, particularly when the team members are volunteers. The best way to avoid conict is to clarify at the start: The project aims and vision How decisions will be made (consensus, majority or by the project leader) Individual roles and responsibilities Regular communication with team and relevant stakeholders If conict arises, be exible - the art of compromise is about taking a long-term view. Negotiation tips Focus on solving the problem Be willing to examine a range of alternatives Concentrate on building the relationship Make it easy for the other person to say yes Be persistent Explore the consequences of not resolving the issue Do not personalise the issues or problems. Key steps for implementing a project Get the project started on time - prioritise your actions each morning Establish ground rules with your team Establish informal and regular formal meetings Monitor and manage progress continuously Identify and resolve issues Manage risks and changes Keep stakeholders informed of progress Update the plan and budget.

manage multiple projects

Track each project It is common for coordinators of community programs to be managing several projects at the same time while balancing other ongoing work activities. In this situation, keeping track of progress in all areas becomes even more critical. A project plan or a Gantt chart for each project will give you a clear picture of what is supposed to be completed each month. If your projects depend on other people you need systems in place to ensure that you are kept informed of their progress, such as team meetings or regular progress reports. With multiple projects, its often hard to manage your own work. In busy periods, the list of tasks may seem overwhelming. You need to set systems in place to manage your time effectively. Get organised This involves some planning. Take time to set priorities and communicate these to others as it will save time in the long run. Tackle the priorities and difcult problems rst, focusing on one thing at a time. You can lose valuable hours by jumping from one task to another. If you tend to procrastinate, set deadlines for yourself. Develop some time management systems to help you keep track, for example: 1. Make a daily to do list in your diary. At the start of each day prioritise your tasks on the list and at the end of each day review your achievements and update tomorrows list. 2. Carry an exercise book everywhere. Use it for notes and to keep track of discussions at meetings and any actions you need to do. Update your to do list with actions from the book. Cross off sections on the pages as things are completed. Review the uncrossed sections of the book regularly to check if youve done everything. 3. Develop a phone call sheet - use a simple table developed in MS Word to keep track of your phone calls - photocopy the table and keep it next to your phone. This ensures that you write down all messages and information in one place and you dont lose anything. When you make calls out or leave messages, note it down. The phone call sheet is a very useful tool that is invaluable to keep track of your work and information eg:

23

Date 24/03/10

Notes Mess.

Who Sue Smith Bill Bloggs Anne Stitch

Details left message to send me a yer on her program 66 891 891 not available Tues, appointment Wed @ 3.30pm Rang re funding for arts project is sending information via email post yers to 2 Smith St, Blakeville 2244 his choir is away, suggested I try Bills choir 66 333 999 choir is available email him details bill.manseld@ hotmail.com 4. Write a regular report to your board or committee, documenting what has been achieved. Use your to do list, your telephone call list, the minutes of meetings and your sent emails to identify achievements for your report.

Post

Mary Mann John Black

Email

Bill Manseld

Manage interruptions Handling interruptions is not easy. Part of the problem is that we can be fooled into thinking that every phone call or unannounced visit deserves our immediate attention. Think about using some of the following techniques to keep control over interruptions. If possible, meet visitors outside your ofce. Be friendly, but keep the interaction short If the visitor arrives in your ofce, remain standing. Defer the meeting if its not necessary now Be clear at the start about how much time you have available and let your visitor know when the time is up. If necessary, use an answering machine to screen calls Close your ofce to the public for a set period each week Learn to say no A common source of overload is the addition of new tasks and projects. In a changing environment its sometimes hard to determine how these new items should be tackled, especially if they are on somebody elses must list. Learning to say no when appropriate is an important management skill. This is a great project, but its not our rst priority. If it needs to be done, well have to nd other resources to do it. Yes I agree its a necessary project, but which of my other projects would you like me to drop in order to do that one instead? Get help and delegate You may be genuinely overloaded. If this is your situation, get help. Ask your committee for more support and delegate work to others. If you are still overloaded, raise the issue of needing extra resources with appropriate people, such as the committee chairperson. Delegating tasks to others takes a little courage, willingness to communicate and commitment to follow-up. Many project managers have a preference to do the work themselves because that way they can be sure it has been done to their satisfaction and timeframe. The consequence of not delegating is that you may not have enough time and resources to achieve all your priorities.

Ask yourself... Are you spending time on activities that others have volunteered to do? Do you take care of routine work that others could handle? Do you like to keep a nger in every pie? If you answered yes to all three, you need to make more effort to delegate. When you look at your priority list, look for tasks that could be delegated to others.

24

complete the project

1. Test and implement the deliverables 2. Release the resources you have used 3. Review and evaluate for next time 4. Thank everyone involved and celebrate Test outcomes and complete final tasks Endings are as important as beginnings. It may be a struggle to nish the last small tasks especially if the project has been a long one. Unfortunately, unnished tasks are what people remember most about the project. Surgeon to his patient immediately after the operation ... Everything went swimmingly. We did forget to remove a clamp, but no need to worry, well get it out next time you come in. Test the deliverables from your project for example, if the project was to develop a community website, go on the website and make sure it works properly and meets the original objectives. Some project outcomes may not require training, but some may. For example, you may need to train an appropriate person how to link requests from the website to their email or how to update the website with new information. You may have to provide some level of support for a short while, for example some bugs may appear in the software for the website in the rst few weeks requiring attention. Release of Resources You may need to release resources, including members of the project team - but only when you are sure that they have completed all their tasks and you do not need them to help test or support the deliverables. Hopefully, you will have completed the project within the budget. You will have to conduct a nal audit of accounts and hand back any surplus money if the project came in under budget. You will need to nalise your evaluations, acquit any funding grants or thank sponsors, volunteers and supporters. Evaluate the project Without evaluation it is difcult to know if the project achieved its objectives. The importance of this stage is self-evident, but it is surprising how many projects are supercially evaluated, or not evaluated at all. You measure your project against the objectives, but planning what you will measure is best planned early in the project when the brief is written as time and costs for evaluation need to be incorporated into the project plan. Your project may be on-going or annual (such as an event or updating a business directory) or you may have to conduct similar projects in the future. Your evaluation methods will vary depending on the type of project. You may need to hold a debrief meeting with your team members and ask everyone what went well, what went wrong and is there any way to do it better next time? If you have used any other methods such as surveys, head counts, incident reports etc, you can compile them into an evaluation report and attach it to the project plan (or use it to update the plan) to guide you next time. You may conduct the evaluation by yourself or with a few stakeholders. Here are some questions you can use to evaluate the outcomes and the process. The aims? Did the project achieve its original aims? What original aims were not achieved, and why? Specically, what were the benets? Were there unexpected results, either positive or negative? The process? How well was the project planned? Were roles and responsibilities clearly dened? How well were problems and changes managed? Was communication a problem? Did the relevant people take their scheduled obligations seriously? Was the project nished properly? Was the project within budget? Refer to the Monitoring and evaluation module in this series for more information about evaluating a project.

25

Say thank you and celebrate Formally acknowledging contributions takes a little planning, but it builds relationships for the future and helps everyone close the chapter. It is always good to celebrate at the end of a project, especially with your team members and other stakeholders. Have a few drinks and nibbles at the end of the debrief meeting or take everyone out to lunch or dinner. If you did the project on your own, take a day off or pamper yourself as a reward for a job well done.

26

Saying Thank you - Counting the ways A mention in the Annual General Meeting Personal thank you letters or certicates to volunteers Public acknowledgment at the launch or opening Use of media radio, letter to editor Celebrations for the project team and its supporters If youre working on your own, dont forget to reward yourself!

Key steps for completing a project Consider if your deliverables need to be tested and test them Be prepared to provide support for a short period, if required Release your resources and team members Finalise the budget and acquit any funding Evaluate the project and update your plan Dont forget to thank everyone and celebrate the completion of your project

summary of key steps for project management

Dene the project Write a project brief Assess the project context Brainstorm a task list Identify the project categories and their main tasks List the sub tasks under each main task List all tasks in a logical order Number your tasks to create your work breakdown structure (WBS) Convert your sticky notes into a sequencing chart Estimate the time for the main tasks (and sub tasks, if required) Identify the start and end dates for the main tasks Identify team members and allocate tasks Identify the cost elements and add cost contingencies where appropriate Update the budget Review the plan to determine if it is feasible or if there is a better way to deliver it Determine the critical path Review risks and develop contingency plans Develop a Gantt chart Get the project started on time Establish ground rules Establish informal and regular formal meetings Monitor and manage progress continuously with team members Identify and resolve issues Manage risks and changes Keep stakeholders informed of progress Test outcomes, if appropriate Provide support for a short period, if required Release your resources and team members Finalise the budget and acquit any funding Evaluate the project, update the plan Say thank you and celebrate

27

case study examples

Project brief example

PROJECT BRIEF KURRI KURRI

Kurri Kurri is located west of Newcastle with a population around 12,600. The town developed a mural project through the Towns With Heart (TWH) community program that includes the surrounding villages of Abermain, Stanford Merthyr, Weston, Heddon Greta, Pelaw Main and Neath.

28

case study

The Mural Project commenced in 2003 with ve murals showcasing the areas history with the aim of stopping some of the thousands of cars that pass through Kurri Kurri.Since 2003 over 50 murals have been developed and the project has had a large impact on the town. In the early stages the murals attracted ad hoc busloads of older demographic visitors who paid a gold coin donation for a guided tour of the murals. The project now charges a fee to all visitors for guided tours and meals and attracts regular bus tours throughout the year. A big impact of the project was to create an identity for Kurri Kurri and the Towns With Heart. It differentiated them from the surrounding vineyard attractions and created another product in the local tourism mix. It established enormous pride in the community, which can be evidenced by the large number of volunteer guides who continue to work on the project. It also became an anchor for the Kurri Kurri Nostalgia Festival which commenced in the same year as a agship event about rock n roll, classic cars, hot rods and all things from the 50s and 60s. In 2011 40,000 people visited the festival and the murals which is a big achievement for a small town. The following project brief that was developed in 2003 at the start of the Mural Project is a good example of how big things can grow out of small beginnings: PROJECT NAME: TOWNS WITH HEART MURAL PROJECT Background The Towns With Heart project was developed as part of the Community Economic Development Program, funded by the NSW Department of State and Regional Development (now NSW Trade & Investment). The program was initiated in an effort to address the local level of unemployment and to facilitate local business growth and development, thereby creating sustainable employment. The committee operates as an excellent example of cooperation amongst a range of community groups and has wide representation on its Board from areas such as Council, business, health services, education, Tidy Towns Committees, Sport and Recreation, youth, tourism, heritage and the community. A Town Coordinator was engaged to coordinate the implementation of the Strategic Plan and the projects identied by the local community at a number of community meetings. The Towns With Heart area is situated close to the Hunter Valley Wine Country, which has more than 1.5 million visitors each year. An opportunity existed to increase visitation and expenditure to the Towns With Heart area by attracting a percentage of the visitors already travelling to the nearby Wine Country. Following some research into the success of other towns that have implemented a mural project, it was decided that this idea would work in the Towns With Heart area.

PROJECT BRIEF KURRI KURRI - continued

Project Description The project involves the production of a number of murals to showcase the many different aspects of the Towns With Heart community. The murals are linked to other community assets and attractions through the themes chosen. Each mural is developed along a specic community theme by a team of representatives from a community group or section. The initial phase of the project involved the implementation of ve murals within walking distance. The longer term goal is to develop a mural trail by extending the number of murals and locating them in some of the other towns within the area.

29

case study

Project Aims To develop a unique attraction in the TWH area To increase visitation to the TWH area To increase tourism expenditure in the TWH area To showcase community assets in the TWH area To link important historical assets within the TWH area To build on community pride To involve a number of community groups on one project To build community leadership To support local businesses To promote project ownership To achieve a long term tourism product Key Tasks Produce ve murals Form ve teams from different sectors of the community to oversee the research and development of the murals Establish a physical link between each of the murals and existing community assets and attractions Financial Resources Grant funding will be sought from Planning NSW through the Area Assistance Scheme initial discussions have been held Sponsorship will be sought for each mural Cash contribution from the Towns With Heart committee In-kind support from community groups Additional income sources such as postcards and walking maps will be investigated Constraints Legal responsibilities of the wall owner and the mural owner will need to be agreed to and a contract prepared and signed Copyright will need to be sought for the murals Artists will need to be chosen on their suitability for the project and ability to work with community groups and volunteers Criteria will need to be developed for the murals, e.g. realistic rather than abstract, content to be approved by subcommittee of Team Leaders Project Management Project Manager Town Coordinator Team Leaders nominated from each of the community groups Reporting each Team Leader to report to Town Coordinator, Town Coordinator to report to TWH committee

PROJECT BRIEF KURRI KURRI - continued

Main Tasks Methodology Action Determine criteria for murals Meetings with community groups to conrm their commitment Richmond Main (Peter Meddows) Rotary Club (Ken Warren) Indigenous (Debbie Barwick) Youth (Ron Besoff) Nature (Tidy Towns) Apply for grant funding Form teams, establish Team Leaders Identify and select sites Wall (site) owners to be contacted Legal responsibilities determined and documented Render walls Mural content to be researched and developed Mural content to be approved Quotes obtained for rendering, scaffolding, artists materials, artists time Sponsorship to be sought Artists to be selected and briefed Mock-up of murals to be prepared Community assistants to the artists to be selected Assemble scaffolding Paint murals Launch murals to media, community Responsibility TWH Committee Project Manager

30

case study

Project Manager Project Manager Teams Project Manager Project Manager Contractor Teams Subcommittee of Team Leaders, TWH Committee Project Manager Teams Teams Artists Teams Contractor Artists, community assistants Team Leaders, Project Manager

PROJECT BRIEF KURRI KURRI - continued

Main Tasks Methodology Income Source Dept of Planning Grant Cash 26,600 12,500 2,500 10,800 41,600 10,800 In Kind Total 26,600 12,500 2,500 10,800 52,400

31

Sponsorship (5 x $2500)

case study

TWH Project Community contributions TOTAL

Expenditure Item Legal Documentation Rendering Scaffolding Paint, materials (at cost) Artists (5 x 3 wks @ $1000 pwk) Project Manager (1day/wk @ $30 ph) Administration costs, rent Audit Research & development TOTAL 41,600 Cash 1,200 5,000 1,000 5,000 15,000 11,500 2,500 400 5,000 10,800 In Kind 800 2,000 1,000 2,000 Total 2,000 7,000 2,000 7,000 15,000 11,500 2,500 400 5,000 52,400

Task scheduling chart example

Lismore, Nimbin & Villages Art Trail

Lismore Visitor Information Centre used the following simple chart to keep track of tasks when they developed a trail brochure. Project Manager: Tanya Project Notes: Plan updated every 4 months Responsible Research other tourism destinations re art /gallery trails incl. Northern Rivers (NR) content Develop invite for networking function & distribute to galleries/arts Ring Arts Northern Rivers Byron (ANR) Artist Trail re approx. prices for Samaya Glass Creations Obtain costs for annual print run of brochure Contact Regional Arts NSW re funding options Liaise with ANR & Lismore Regional Gallery (LRG) re project & possible partner funding / feedback Determine designer for ALL collateral projects Determine content specs + terms & conditions for guide e.g. gallery must be open 3 days p/w Determine essential elements for inclusion in trail brochure + preferred layout e.g. map, image, word count, DL size etc. Research & identify artists / organisations / galleries for inclusion Ring around galleries to determine appropriate date for networking function Update artist/gallery database Graphic designer to arrange prospectus for Art Trail brochure Host networking function in VIC re tourism services & development of trail brochure cost neutral Send out prospectus & intro letter to database Nathan Due date 29/10/09 Done done

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case study

Task 1

2 3

Lisa Nathan

29/10/09 29/10/09

done done

4 5 6

Nathan Lisa Lisa

29/10/09 29/10/09 29/10/09

done done done

7 8

Mitch Lisa / Tanya

30/10/09 2/11/09

done done

Lisa / Tanya

2/11/09

done

10 11 12 13 14

Lisa / Tanya Tanya Barb / Tanya Mitch Tanya

2/11/09 2/11/09 2/11/09 6/11/09 11-12/11/09

done done done done done

15

Tanya / Lisa

End Jan

done

Lismore, Nimbin & Villages Art Trail - continued

16 17 Follow up all businesses re bookings & content Determine web presence for galleries & artist trail (similar format to Dining Guide) Images for each listing obtained Assess quality of images to determine if additional photo shoot is required Operator sign-off on individual content Finalise content & send to designer Image Shoot conducted of participating businesses (if required) Draft proof received & approved Final proof received & approved Distribute invitations for Art Trail launch Printing brochures received Media release re Art Trail launch Launch of Art Trail Distribute brochures 3 month evaluation and reporting with participating businesses on project Tanya Mitch / Tanya 16/02/10 5/03/10 done done

18

Mitch Mitch Tanya Tanya / Mitch Mitch Tanya / Mitch Tanya / Mitch Tanya Tanya Tanya / Mitch Mitch Tanya Tanya / Mitch

1/03/10 5/03/10 10/03/10 15/03/10 7/04/10 22/04/10 29/04/10 1/05/10 12/05/10 17/05/10 18/05/10 18/05/10 18/09/10

done done done done done

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19

case study

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Contingency planning example for risk management

ACTIVITIES ON THE RIVER Lismore Herb Festival

Probability Risk Activity / Contingency Rank-ing Impacts Evaluation

34

case study

Injury

Low

Low

SES training exercises on the river and riverside ats CANOE RIDES Mishap on the river eg fall out of canoe

SES boat rescue in the river and rescue exercises on the ats. This is an existing weekend activity relocated to festival, with use of SES insurance for the activity SES supervision / back-up Educational canoe trips up the Wilson River Two NPWS Rangers to accompany each trip All participants to wear life jackets Children under 7 not allowed to participate Use of NPWS insurance for the activity Entering or exiting the canoes Floating pontoon installed with ramp to riverbank Safety ramp with railings installed and secured to bank Rotary West insurance cover for ramp/pontoon NPWS insurance cover for activity

Fully supervised by SES training staff - worked very well, no mishaps

Drowning Injury

NPWS Rangers paddled front and rear on all trips, trips were every hour made bookings for each trip worked extremely well, no accidents

Medium

High

CANOE RIDES Enter/ exit canoes from riverbank Injury

Pontoon and ramp installed by Rotary West, dismantled and taken away via boats after the event- worked very well, no accidents or mishaps

High

High

Gantt chart examples The following example shows a segment of a simple Gantt chart template that was developed for the Lismore Herb Festival by inserting a table in MS Word for the set up tasks. Tasks were listed down the left hand side column, times

were listed across the top row. The who column indentied the person or group responsible for the action. Each person or group had their own colour-coding. Conversely, the coloured lines on this chart could be ruled in by hand using different coloured pencils or felt pens.

ACTIVITIES ON THE RIVER Lismore Herb Festival

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SET UP SCHEDULE Hours 6am 3pm who LCC 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3

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Task Drop off barricades Thursday 6pm Friday 5 June Set up barricades, close streets Set up Storm stage Set up Storm lights Set up Storm sound Set up bus stop (at the Pool) Set up toilets/bins Set up tents, tables, chairs, water, cups, bins, Cultural stage oor Set up Cultural stage,chairs Set up Cultural public address sound system Set up Easy Listening lower stage Set up Easy Listening upper stage Pick & set up Easy y tent Set up spider tents Set up Easy public address sound system and power Set up Action Games Set up stalls Set up Information tent Rafe, box, survey etc to info tent Set up activities, displays Put up signs

Vols JDS JDS JDS Vols RW LPH Vols JDS Vols Vols Vols BG Joy Joy Bob Bob Vols Bob Vols

Similar charts with hourly timeframes were developed for the shut down schedule, with daily timeframes for the post event schedule and monthly timeframes were used for the pre event implementation.

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APR 10 week 15 8 9 12 13 14 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 26 27 28 29 30 3 10 17 23 31 7 14 21 28 6 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 12 MAY 10 JUN 10 JUL 10 0 10

LISMORE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE Schedule prepared byWirthDesign 12/4/10

April-daily/from May-week starting Monday STAGE 1 FITOUT

FABRICATION

3D Design Development (Client Approval) Documentation/Tender Doc (Client Approval) Tender 3D Issue period (Client Approval) Construction drawings (Client Approval) FABRICATION (Supervision/Quality control) Fitout, Painting and installation (Client Approval) A 3D TENDER ISSUE FABRICATION FITOUT

GRAPHIC PROD

M 2D TENDER ISSUE A GRAPHIC PRODUCTION

COMPLETION

The following Gantt chart was developed for the refurbishment of the Lismore Visitor Information Centre in 2010 using computer software, such as MS Project.

2D Design Development (Client Approval) Created Photography Scenic Artist (Rainforest Diorama Painting) Tender Doc (Client Approval) 2D Tender issue period (Client Approval) Finished Art (Client Approval Proofing) GRAPHIC PRODUCTION ( Supervision/Quality control) Installation (Client Approval)

ABORIGINAL TEXT Draft copy 1 Captions (Client Approval) Draft Copy 2 Captions (Client Approval) D1 M

D2 FC

ACTIVITIES ON THE RIVER Lismore Herb Festival

Final Copy/ Allhigh res images (Client Approval)

D1 D2 FC D2 FC

NATURAL HERITAGE TEXT Draft copy 1 Captions (Client Approval) Draft Copy 2 Captions (Client Approval) Final Copy/ Allhigh res images (Client Approval)

HISTORY TEXT Draft copy2/images/captions (Client Approval) D2

Final Copy/ All high res images (Client Approval) FC

ORIENTATION TEXT Draft copy2/images/captions (Client Approval) Final Copy/ All high res images (Client Approval)

Work plan example

Caldera Institute for Sustainable Community Development

The Caldera Institute for Sustainable Community Development is a major project in the Tweed shire encompassing the villages of Chillingham, Uki and Tyalgum. The institute was established to promote innovation and behaviour change in residents and to facilitate community projects that reduce the districts carbon footprint, improve resource management, ACTIVITIES THE RIVER local Lismore Herb promote greenON jobs and improve the economy. The Festival project plan was developed as a work plan for the project manager, with the following excerpts as an example:

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Objective 1: Initiate project Action Establish Community Institute for Sustainable Community Development (CISCD) as the instrument for implementing the project Establish Reference Group of lead agencies to support and provide input into project development and implementation Detail Formalise internal reporting and accountability guidelines and mechanisms via MOU Outcome Guidelines and MOU agreed and signed Timeframe By 31/1/10

To include, for eg. representatives of TSC, DEECW, NPWS, Tweed Tourism, education and service providers, TEDC

Reference Group established

By 20/2/10

Objective 2: Identify major projects/develop priority list Action Identify any action to date regarding prioritising and implementing the recommendations of, and key projects identied in, the Caldera Community Economic Transition Plan (CCETP) Develop a list of priority projects Detail Consult with Project Committee and lead community groups from the CETP to review and assess any progress to date on recommendations in the CCETP Outcome Priority list agreed Timeframe By 20/2/10

Provides agreement on prioritising Project Coordinator time in facilitating project initiation and implementation

Priority list agreed

By 20/2/10

continued on the following page

Objective 3: Establish project implementation framework Action Create and support Round Tables within ACTIVITIES THE the key CCETPON project areas of Food & Agriculture, Integrated Trails/eco tourism and Alternative Energy Detail Outcome Timeframe 1/10 ongoing

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Project Coordinator to Establishment of at undertake the necessary least three project RIVER and Lismore Festival analysis liaison to Herb Round Tables and identify key stakeholders, implementation of experts etc and facilitate a minimum of three establishment of relevant major projects, one groups. In addition in each of the three to those in 5,6 and key areas 7 below, these could include: paddock to plate, sustainable agriculture and alternative energy Project Coordinator to facilitate. Some working groups were established during the CETP process. Coordinator will need to identify and support these and facilitate their inclusion in the current process. It is anticipated groups will include: solar energy demonstration projects, sustainable agriculture, farmers market, eco tourism, trails, paddock to plate, skills audit, education and information, emergency services planning. This provides the opportunity to both support groups and build capacity where appropriate Establishment and support of at least ve Working Groups

Where appropriate, create and support associated Community Working Groups to undertake elements of a project.

1/10 ongoing

Arrange and facilitate Working Group meetings, workshops and forums

Facilitation of monthly working group meetings; facilitation of at least two forums/ workshops for Working Groups

1/10 ongoing

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