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UW Finance

Project Planning and Management

Authority Matrix

simple diagram indicating the stakeholders in carrying out a task or decision and their authority role (e.g., know, inform, support, do, approve). Answers who are involved for each task and what is their role or authority; such as the annual allocation of RCR to sub-units. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Management_and_Planning_Tools

Deployment Chart

used to show the steps or phases in a process and the people or teams who are responsible for the project's completion. They show which person is responsible for each task, those advising on the task's achievement and the ordering of each task.

Gantt Chart

used to manage projects within a schedule to track multiple and often overlapping activities. May include critical path activities and durations as well as project milestones. These are especially valuable in capital or other complex projects with set task completion requirements. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gantt_chart

Mind Map

used for brainstorming; it consist of a central idea, related ideas, the connections between them. They help to sort out complex issues and show their relationship to one another. Can facilitate an understanding of conceptual relationships during the forming and storming stages of a team project. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map

Responsibility Assignment Matrix

used to organize the performance of tasks by different people and departments as well as the resources required to complete the tasks - those responsible, those accountable, those to be consulted, and those to be informed. In table form, it provides a list of resources on the left column, accompanied by a series of tasks across the top. Most useful to organize and simplify the summary of tasks when individual team members have multiple tasks to perform in accomplishing the overall project. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsibility_assignment_matrix

Strategy Map

used to summarize strategic planning steps (mapping the strategic process similar to a swim lane diagram) showing the horizontal and vertical relationships of tasks. Frequently used to summarize process improvement activities and relationships from several different viewpoints. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategy_map

Balanced Scorecard

Allows an organization to divide a vision, or overall objective into the smaller pieces or necessary steps that will allow it to occur. These pieces may be in phases of the process, or the project from the perspective of different departments of the organization, but in any case it should be a continuing cycle that will continue working toward a single overall goal. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_scorecard

Venn Diagram

used to provide direct comparison of two or more entities by depicting similarities and differences between these entities. Diagram identifies the common and uncommon aspects of items, groups, tasks, or other related activities. Often, but not always, presented a series of inter-connected circles with overlap points illustrates areas of commonality. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venn_diagram

Workflow Diagram

provides a general overview of the flow of tasks from one person/group to another for any business process. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workflow