Harvard ManageMentor — PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOOLS
Worksheet for Developing High-Level Estimates
Use this worksheet to divide a complex activity into smaller tasks—a process known as Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). Once tasks have been broken down into smaller, more manageable units, estimate the time, costs, and skills needed to complete each task. These high-level estimates will inform your project plan. Use multiple pages as needed.
Description of the overall project:
Healthy Start Coalition of Brevard has tasked Forever Young with helping to help fund and coordinate a silent auction and dinner being planned for November 15th 2008. The scope of our project is two fold consisting of fundraising and event planning. Funds will be raised by approaching local businesses as potential sponsors, and by collecting donated goods and services to be sold in a silent auction. We are also tasked to planning activities intended to engage the audience and lead up to a “major announcement”. For the activities our team will plan, organize, provide necessary props, and contribute to smooth progression by attending the event.
What is the smallest unit of time that you want to schedule? For example, if you want to schedule to the nearest day, you will need to break down work to the point where tasks take a day to perform.
Major Task / Level 1
Subtasks / Level 2
Subtasks / Level 2
Subtask
Duration
(hours/days/weeks) / Level 2
Subtask
Costs / Level 2
Subtask
Skills Needed
Create a spreadsheet for donor information. / 1 hrs. / Creativity
Research
Organize and track Forever Young’s fundraising efforts on behalf of Healthy Start / Receive data from all team members and input into the datasheet. / 1 hrs. / Organizational skills
Press members for follow-up with businesses for donations. / 1 hr. / Team
Management
Assist Healthy Start Coalition of Brevard in funding, planning and executing a fundraising dinner and silent auction. / Make sure all items are delivered to Healthy Start in a timely manner. / 1 hr. / Organization
Time -Management
Propose donation to Healthy Start Event committee(9/29/08) / 3 hr. / Fuel/
Transport.
$0 / Research
Networking
Acquire silent auction donations. / Approach various local businesses for goods and services. / 3 hr. / Fuel/
Transport.
$0 / Presentation
Skills
Do brief Healthy Start Presentation for business. Provide information to businesses concerning signage or website postings for their organization. / 1 hr. / Fuel/
Transport.
$0 / Organization
And
Research
Collect and deliver goods to the Healthy Start Offices prior to the event. / 2 hr. / Fuel/
Transport.
$0 / Management
Coordinate activities for the primary fundraiser, (Dinner and Silent Auction 11/15/08) / Work with team to plan several activities and alternatives. / 6 hrs. / Time Management
Creativity
Narrow down activities based on time constraints and “theme” applicability. / 2 hrs. / Decision Making
Acquire necessary props. as donations from local businesses. / 1 hrs. / Donated / Organization
Set up and run activities. / 5 hrs. / Organization
Total / 27 Hrs. / $0 / Time management
Organization
Creativity
Research
Decision Making
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