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Organizing
Projects

Organize first for knowledge,
first with the object of making
us know ourselves as a nation, 
for we have to do that before
we can be of value to other nations
of the world
Eleanor Roosevelt,
American, 1884–1962

  

This simple sequence will help you to identify stages for completing projects.  Once you have identified these, proceed to our exercise on prioritizing tasks!

  • Begin early: It is never too early to start.
    By starting early you have more time to finish the project,
    and you guarantee yourself adequate time to do a good job.
  • Determine the time commitment.
    Estimate long the project, presentation or paper will take to develop and complete
  • Determine how hard the material is to research
  • Set a mid-point to evaluate progress
  • Break the project down into manageable sections.
    This table of tasks includes a column "done by" date to help you organize yourself and the project.

    Print a blank form
What How When:
Summarize objectives Objectives should be SMART:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Relevant

Trackable

from  Blanchard, Zigarmi, and Zigarmi
Leadership and the One Minute Manager

  
Determine process
to achieve objectives
  • project planning tools
    (Gantt, Critical Path, PERT)
  • project production tools
    (word processing, demonstration software (PowerPoint), etc.
  • stages of development
  • critical sequencing (timeline)
  
Verify with instructor  

 

 as often as necessary
Research
  • text book research
  • library research
  • field research
  • other:
  
Analyze research/findings
  • plan for gaps
  • request assistance
  • mid-stream check-in
  
Outline "product"
  • thesis statement
  • individual topics
  
Write/Compile
document/presentation
  • opening paragraph
  • body
  • closing arguments/statement
  
Document & create bibliography  

 

  
Test  

 

  
Review and evaluate
  • product
  • process
  
Summarize/digest  

 

  
Rehearse (presentation)  

 

  
Present final product  

 

  
Celebrate  

 

  

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