Project Information: You are tasked with organizing a small conference at your place of employment. The kickoff meeting is next week. You need to create an agenda, hire two speakers, extend an invitation to your fellow workers, and order badges, giveaways (SWAG), and food. Make your own assumptions about the details (size, number of people etc.) There is no one correct way to do this; just be sure to be thorough. Assume the conference is 3 months from now and plan the tasks/time accordingly (realistically). It is okay to have gaps in the project schedule - that is normal. You don't have to assign resource names for each task.

Important Note

Remember that "duration" refers to the span of time during which you need to complete the task; it does NOT reflect the actual time to complete the task. Here, duration is in days.

So, for example, if you need to create an agenda and the actual time to complete it is 2 hours, but you want to do so during the week of May 1, you would make the duration 5 days and start date May 1.

This can be confusing, as we earlier estimated the actual time ("effort") it would take to deliver a work package. Now we look at how it will fit into the entire schedule and when it can begin/when it is needed: or its duration.

We are creating tasks for this assignment. Tasks are stated as verbs ("hire speakers") versus nouns ("speakers hired"). I know this is confusing - just remember the WBS creates work packages (nouns) and the schedule/Gantt create tasks (verbs).

Below are some suggested tasks - you will need to add more. Format tasks as a verb (not noun) so you could say:

"Draft agenda"

"Finalize agenda" and so on.

Task List Suggestions

Agenda

Speakers

Handouts

Invitations

ID Badges (based on RSVPs- hint)

SWAG (little gifts to hand out)

Catering (breakfast? lunch? both?)

Set Up Room

Pass out conference items on the day of the conference (*you may end the project when the conference begins, if you wish - you don't have to account for clean-up, etc.)

Think of what else must be done. Walk through it in your head. What will the speakers need? What will the guests need? What about technology? The above is not a complete list of the tasks. Everyone's will vary, however.

Finish up the task list, assign a duration to each task (see above box), and a start date for each task, and then:

Steps:

1. Open Excel
2. Populate the spreadsheet with the project schedule data (task, duration (in hours), start date)
3. Create the GANTT chart by watching this video tutorial.

You may have to watch it as you create your Gantt chart. Hint: open 2 windows. Pause the video as you follow the speaker's instructions. Follow along carefully.

4. When done, save and name your spreadsheet.
5. Upload it by clicking "Add Assignment" below.

Make sure your duration estimates are reasonable, that tasks begin after the logical completion of the task before it unless they can run at the same time, and that you carefully follow the video. This will take some time! Do not try to complete it on the last night - remember, no extensions. Your finished product will look something like this: