JISC

Use the workpackages template to develop a detailed plan of the project work, clearly indicating all project outputs and due dates

For each workpackage indicate:

• Name of the workpackage
• Objective of the workpackage
• Tasks – list all the major tasks
• Earliest start date – for each task
• Latest completion date – for each task
• Outputs – list the output(s) for each task, clearly indicating the deliverables and reports for JISC in bold
• Milestones – clearly flag major milestones
• Responsibility – person responsible for each task

Identify the timing/phasing of the workpackages on the first page of the template. You can attach a Gantt chart, diagram, or flowchart to show how workpackages interrelate. Please note any dependencies.

There is no prescribed set of workpackages that projects must have; these will depend on nature of the project, the development being performed, and the outputs envisaged. However, most projects will probably include workpackages for project management and to implement their plans for QA, evaluation, dissemination, and exit/sustainability.

Milestones

List the project outputs for each task in the outputs column. Let’s assume you have a workpackage on evaluation and this includes an assessment of user needs. This may incluA milestone is a significant event in the project that is usually linked to completion of a major deliverablede various tasks like a questionnaire, a focus group, analysis of the results, and an external evaluation of the assessment. Some of these will be for internal use within the project (e.g. the questionnaire, questionnaire data and analysis, script for the focus group, report on the focus group). List the deliverables for JISC in bold (e.g. an evaluation report on user needs).

Flag milestones in the milestone column in some meaningful way (e.g. ‘3’) to indicate it’s the third major milestone the project will achieve. In the example, the evaluation report submitted to JISC would be a milestone. This is time to reflect on what has been achieved and how this informs future work. Now that the project has a good grasp of what users want, how will this affect plans for development? Will it change what the project will create, how, or resource allocation? It’s a time for reflection and a reality check on what the project will do. 

Once the project plan is approved, all deliverables must be submitted on schedule. If the you encounter or foresee any problems that will affect the schedule for milestones or deliverables, you must contact the programme manager. Any changes to the project schedule must be agreed with the programme manager.