Project planning: Project outputs
JISC requirement Projects must submit the deliverables specified in the agreed project proposal according to the schedule in the project plan - deliverables are subject to approval by the JISC Executive
Project outputs are what the project will createMost projects create two kinds of outputs:
- Deliverables The tangible outputs like content, software, guidelines, etc
- Knowledge and experience The less tangible outputs that should be documented and shared with JISC and the wider community
In the project proposal, the project has listed deliverables it plans to create. When writing the project plan, review the list, see if any have been missed out, and make a final list. Think also about the knowledge and experience you will develop, and how this can be shared in a tangible form.
Note: You will develop and submit core project documents (plans and reports that support project work) - these are part of the project planning and monitoring process and don't need to be listed in the project outputs section of the project plan.
Make a full list of the project deliverables using the checklist below and include them all in the project plan.
Project deliverables checklist |
| Case studies |
License agreements |
Reports |
Technical manuals |
| Content |
Methods |
Scenarios |
Tools or toolkits |
| Demonstrators |
Models |
Software |
Training packages or tutorials |
| Events (e.g. workshops) |
Pilot services |
Specifications |
User interfaces |
| Guidelines |
Prototypes |
Technical designs |
User manuals |
Think about the knowledge, know-how, and experience you will develop in your project and how you will share itThe project final report is one way to share project work with the community, as are papers at conferences and published articles in journals. The project completion report will share your thoughts with JISC on the project and how it turned out. But focus on the knowledge and experience you will gain and how you will share this with the community. You might want to develop a case study, or write up some hints and tips and post them on your project website. If the knowledge and experience you’ve developed has real critical mass, you may want to act as consultants or advisors to other projects. Start thinking now about how to share the knowledge you will have at the end of the project.
Review as you Go
During the project, take time to reflect on your work. Get the team together from time to time and make a cup of tea. Have an informal reality check.
- Are these the right deliverables?
- Will they achieve the objectives set at the start of the project?
- Has technology moved on?
In most cases it hasn’t, and you will have enjoyed the tea. But it could be that new tools and techniques are available, and there are other ways to approach the work and achieve the objectives. By adopting a new tool or approach, you might be able to do the work faster or better, or in a more innovative way. If things are changing and you have new ideas, talk them over with the programme manager. You might agree to change one deliverable with another, or adopt different methods that change the schedule. |