Joy of Gantt charts: documenting a Summer Writing School as a project

Gantt chart of tasks for the Summer Writing School project, 2018

Why did I get such delight out of creating my very first Gantt chart — let alone admit that I’m proud of it?

• If you use Gantt charts (made by someone else), it’s a big “ho hum” from you.
• If you make them, I see an indulgent head-shake, because you know this is the simplest Gantt chart in the world, using a template from Someka.net (bless them).
• If you don’t use them, I caught you rolling your eyes.

A Summer Writing School: analysing the project

About my summer writing school, January 2018, in Wellington

I wanted to break down the jobs involved in running a summer writing school in accordance with the principles of project management. The thinking took most of the time required to construct the Gantt chart, of course. After I succeeded, I spent the next week in a glow of self-satisfaction. And I think that’s fair enough.

1. I found a template that worked — what an achievement.
2. It’s something I have admired for years.
3. I don’t have an IT department to help me.
4. It took a week: long enough to require perseverance, short enough to avoid frustration.
5. It certainly helped me to analyse what I need to do to make the summer writing school a success.
6. It also showed me what a massive project this is going to be.
7. Mastering a new skill is a pleasure: end of story.

Now I just have to do all those jobs, untouched since I created the Gantt chart! The danger is, half of me now believes that I am ready, all those tasks done and dusted. Not so fast, lady…