Methodology tutorial - planning techniques

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Introduction

Learning goals

• Learn how to make simple GANTT charts
• Learn about PERTT charts
• Get some other advice

Prerequisites

• None

Moving on

• Read Methodology tutorial - the research plan if you didn't do so yet.

Level and target population

Quality

• low (translation needed)

It is not necessary to use some real project management technique, but doing so could help getting your thesis done in time. The main advantages good planning are:

• Better estimation of resources (time), i.e. a good planning effort will likely tell you to reduce the scope of your research.
• A tool for elf-control. If at some point you really are way behind schedule you have an opportunity to act.

The minimum

Create

1. A list of things to do (workpackages)
2. Deadlines for each
3. Time needed for each

Then create a todo / start / deadline list, e.g. something like:

• Literature review: start = oct 2020, end = feb 2021, volume = 1 man/month
• Case study 1 field work: start = ....

Scheduling

Scheduling means to do the following.

• You will have to divide a project into task, called "work packages" (WPs)
• For each WP, you should provide an estimation in man/days or man/weeks it takes to finish
• A work package usually relates to a stage of the research plan, e.g. "the research plan", "field work", "development work".
• If possible, a work package should depend little on parrallel work packages
• Each work package can lead to a "milestone" (an important stage in your research plan") and/or to deliverables, e.g. tangible products such as "research plan".

To manage this scheduling process you then work with two (related kinds of graphics):

• An activity diagram that shows dependencies of work packages and a critical path.
• A bar diagram that illustrates activities over time

Planning also can include taking into account possible disasters.

Activity diagrams

Activity diagrmas allow to better estimate the time it takes to reach an important stage and the global time needed.

The most well know methods are:

• PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique)
• CPM (Critical Path Method)

A simple example

• Each project is represented as a directed graph of tasks (the rectangles)
• Some tasks depend on other tasks
• For each task you must estimate its duration. Often you do this with three figures: expected minimum, most expected time and expected worst case.
• Then you also add mile stones, i.e. the completion of a group of tasks and that represent the end of an important stage.

Here is a simple PERT-like graphic. It's in French, but should be easy to understant "jour" means "day". "Milestone 1 - Exploration" is done after you completed becoming familiar with the domain of study (5 days), after you studied an example (3 days), you found some references (3 days) and you though hard about finding an appropriate approach (3 days). "Milestone 2 - a project draft" needs and extra 5 days.

Bar Charts

Bar charts, also called GANTT Charts are easier to produce

You can create a simple version simply with a word processor or a spreadsheet software:

The horizontal axis is organized either by days, weeks or month (depending on the size of the project). For a master thesis we suggest to use weeks or month.

The vertical axis includes a list of work packages (WPs) and milestones.

You then can fill in the table like this:

• use "XXX"” during the weeks you plan to work hard
• use "xxx" during the weeks you plan to work a bit on it

Simple bar chart with an HTML table

WPs and Milestones	oct 6 08	oct 13 08	oct 20 08	oct 27 08	...	...	...					jun 1 09
.....
Exploration of the subject area	xxxxxxxxxx
Preliminary case study		XXXxxx
Research plan			M
.....
.....
Writing it up				x	xxx							XXXXXXXXXX

Contrôle (Controlling)

Par qui ?

• Dans l’industrie c’est le chef (ou encore le groupe) qui le fait,
• ici vous êtes responsable principal !
• Si vous faites un plan, donnez-le au rapporteur (ou intégrez-le dans la proposition)

Monitoring du progrès:

• comparaison entre plan et réalité tous les mois
• identification des raisons de déviation et actions correctrices
  • vos problèmes ne vont pas s’arranger seuls (!!)

Gestion des crises:

• demandez de l’aide au directeur
• négociez une redimension de votre projet si nécessaire
• adaptez l’approche si (vraiment) nécessaire
• Note: Des crises sont presques inévitables, mais un bon plan de recherche diminue les

risques et limite les dégats ....

Estimation de la durée d’un projet typique

Eléments de calcul:

tâches	par élément	total
Chercher un sujet et faire le plan de recherche		1 mois
littérature et début de rédaction		1 mois
contacter les sites (cas par cas)	1/2 journée	1 mois
visite d’un site	1 journée
codage et exploitation primaire d’une visite	2-3 jours	1 mois
analyses synthétiques / visualisations globales
rédaction du rapport (1ère version)		1 mois
révisions		1 mois
Total		6 mois

File:Book-research-design-258.png vous êtes trop optimistes !!

File:Book-research-design-259.png N’analysez pas trop de cas / sous-cas pour un travail de licence ou de diplôme !

... ou alors utilisez une démarche quantitative