Project Schedule and Estimating Activity Duration

 

Can you imagine starting a long car trip to an unfamiliar destination without a map or navigation system? Essentially, driving without any idea of how you're going to get there is the same as working on a project without a schedule. No matter the size or scope of your project, the schedule is a key part of project management (Project Schedule Development, n.d.).

When it comes to project planning and developing a project schedule, having the tools necessary for effective planning is important and may help project managers plan work more efficiently. In this blog, I will share two resources that may be useful in planning an instructional designer’s project schedule and breaking down a project’s task.

Resource #1- Instagantt

Project planning tools are designed to ensure teams can accomplish both short and long-term projects. Gantt charts may be used to track and allow organizations to manage and improve important projects (Instagantt, 2022). Gantt charts is a bar chart that shows the tasks of a project, when each task must take place, how long each task will take, and each task’s completion status.

To create a Gantt chart, ID’s may use a software called Instagantt. Instagantt provides an easy drag & drop feature to schedule tasks and follow each step of a project’s progress until the very last detail (Instagantt, 2022). Instagantt also makes a great place for stakeholders to collaborate in the project and stay informed with everyone’s work.

To access this software, click the link https://instagantt.com/. Additionally, if you would like to learn more about the software, click on the link to watch a 3-minute video.  https://youtu.be/fDraxzVpzX4 

Resource #2- Kissflow

Kissflow is a free project management tool/software for functional project managers and people who are new to project management. It is an easy-to-use and aesthetically appealing software that makes this one-stop solution an excellent choice for all types of organizations. It offers a well-rounded feature set for a variety of use cases. Some of the features include:

·       Ability to create sub-tasks and convert them to standalone tasks

·       Multiple ways to visualize projects (list, Kanban, and matrix views)

·       Custom fields and advanced filters to segment tasks

·       Detailed audit logs and complete activity history for every task

·       Ability to set due dates

·       Automated email notifications when deadlines near

·       Ability to assign team member roles

One thing that I found interesting about the software was that, it is very intuitive and new user friendly. This was important to me as a PM/ID with little to no experience with planning and scheduling major projects. A tool such as this would make project planning a breeze.

Reference

Instagantt. (2020). What is a Gantt Chart? [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/fDraxzVpzX4 

Project Schedule Development. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_71.htm

Top Gantt Chart Software for Project Management in 2022. (n.d.). Instagantt. Retrieved from https://instagantt.com/top-10-gantt-chart-software-for-project-management.