NB!

Information on direct personnel costs and indirect overhead costs are required as the benefits of the project need to exceed personnel costs.

Promote good time management

1.

Prioritise (by means of matrix below).

2.

Plan

3.

Give clear instructions.

4.

Delegate (see guidelines and process below).

5.

Manage meetings (see guidelines at "Status and progress").

Time management during planning

Do not mention the target date in advance!

1.

Identify all the tasks that have to be undertaken within the project.

2.

Determine the interdependence between the tasks.

3.

The project team (preferably the person who will be doing the work) indicates how much time will be required per task.

NB!

Ensure that the team member indicates the actual amount of time required. For example: Don’t indicate five days when a task will actually only take one day, but the team member doesn’t have the time to pay attention to it now.

4.

Distinguish between effort and duration. Effort entails how long a task will take in ideal circumstances. Once the availability of resources and other factors have been taken into account this is referred to as duration.

5.

Remember to plan for the review of planning and reports, management time and meetings.

Time management during execution

1.

Concentrate on results, not upon "being busy".

2.

Each team member must be clear on what outcome he/she is expected to achieve.

3.

As the project progresses, each team member indicates exactly how much time has been spent on a task.

4.

The team member also indicates how much time will be required to complete the task.

5.

Every week each team member hands in his/her time sheet with the information under 6 and 7 included.

6.

The project plan is regularly adjusted according to the actual duration. This enables the project team to keep track of actual progress as well as potential adjustments to target dates.

Rules for prioritising time

1.

How much time is available?

2.

What is the priority of the task?

3.

Book time on your diary for the task. Allow some leeway.

4.

Start with a task immediately once the required input/information has become available.

5.

Spend 100% of your time on the task until it is completed.

6.

Immediately provide the outputs of your task to the next person.

7.

Priority matrix

A: Take priority above all other tasks
B: Often easy to complete and require little effort
C: Can start later
D: Shouldn't be there!

Estimation of duration

1.

If no historical information is available on the duration of tasks, work according to the following estimation: expected duration + 15%.

2.

If information is available on the type of task:
Optimistic estimation (T_a)
+ Pessimistic estimation (T_b)
+ 4 x Most general estimation (T_c)

and divide it by 6

DELEGATION

Requisites

1.

Trust

2.

Mutual respect

3.

Consistent and visible support

4.

Open, honest communication

5.

Responsibility

- Goes along with ownership.
- Is a two way process (upwards and downwards)
- Is allocated and accepted.

6.

Authority

- The right to act in areas where you are given and accept responsibility.

7.

Accountability

- Reviewing judgements and decisions
- Evaluating effectiveness
- Directing future efforts

Process

1.

Determine who to delegate to.

2.

Define the task.

3.

Define your expectations.

4.

Define the authority.

5.

Seek agreement and acceptance.

6.

Monitor performance and provide feedback.

Other documentation

Guidelines: Time management

Template: Time sheet

Guidelines: Time sheet template

Process: How to handle time sheets