Schedule: How to write a schedule?

A schedule step by step

Before you start preparing a proper graphical presentation of the schedule, you first need to specify actions for realization and point dependencies among them. Make progress step by step, so you save your effort with correcting (especially when there are many actions). The proposed manner of developing a schedule is just one from many possible. It relates to a relatively simple schedule, which does not include resource planning, milestones, etc.

1. Determination of actions

List actions that you need to perform. Think what you need to do to achieve the set target. When the targets are too numerous, it is a good idea to group them.

If e.g. you are to organize a conference, you can divide this task into minor tasks: choice of place, invitation of experts, preparation of a promotional actions, performance of the promotional action, employing a moderator, etc. And if you would like to start building a house, the scope of your tasks would cover: choice of design, collection of documentation required to obtain a construction permit, obtaining the construction permit, preparation of utility services connections, etc.

Prepare a table that is similar to the one below, where you will place names of subsequent actions in the field of “Action1”, “Action2”. The level of details of the distinguished actions depends on you. They should be comprehensible (i.e. you are aware what a particular name means, and how much time will need to realize this action).

2. Pointing to dependencies

When you have already specified a set of actions, move on and point dependencies among them. It may be achieved by pointing which action takes place before and after another. It is a highly significant step, preventing a situation, in which a given tasks was anticipated for realization before another task ended, and whose completion influences the first one. What is more, it makes it necessary to order the plan of what you would like to do.

Referring to the example with organization of a conference, preparation of a promotional action (so e.g. printing information posters) would need to take place after inviting experts and choosing a place, and before conducting the conference itself. Obtaining a construction permit takes place having collected the construction permit, and before preparation of utility services connections.

Before the first and after the last actions you do not need to mark anything.

3. Determination of duration of action

It is important to determine a real duration of an action. Too optimistic prognoses and interconnected delays may act in a demobilizing manner. You could decide on duration of the action already in the point no. 1 (if you believe that you are able to specify it precisely there).

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