Task Description

Quick reference

• 00:01 Hi, I'm Ray Sheen.
• 00:06 Let's talk now about an important element of scope management on projects,
• 00:10 which is task descriptions.
• 00:12 Now, we've been discussing this in the context of project planning, but task
• 00:16 descriptions will also be very important for us in project execution and control.
• 00:20 The project management body of knowledge, the PMBOK Guide,
• 00:25 defines an activity as a distinct,
• 00:27 scheduled portion of work performed during the course of a project.
• 00:33 All tasks or activities, as a PMBOK calls them,
• 00:36 are the building blocks of work in the project.
• 00:39 We need to clearly describe the work so
• 00:41 that we know how to estimate the project during project planning.
• 00:45 And we also need to clearly describe the work so
• 00:48 we know when the task is complete during project execution and control.
• 00:54 Let's discuss this concept of a task.
• 00:56 Each task represents an element of work in the project.
• 00:59 In order to understand exactly what work needs to be done,
• 01:02 each task description has two attributes.
• 01:06 The first attribute is an action or
• 01:08 description of the type of work to be done.
• 01:10 Think back to grammar school and parts of speech.
• 01:13 We need verbs.
• 01:15 This is the type of activity that comprises the work
• 01:18 that we're doing on this task.
• 01:20 But just knowing that we're doing work is not enough,
• 01:23 we also need to know when the work is finished.
• 01:26 We need a completion point for that activity or that task.
• 01:29 This helps us to know how big the estimate will be while we're doing project
• 01:32 planning, and it will help to better track the completion
• 01:36 as part of project execution and control.
• 01:38 So each task requires an action and
• 01:41 a completion point in order to fully define what is the work of that task.
• 01:46 Let's look at a few examples.
• 01:49 The first one is test protocol.
• 01:52 A test protocol is something that you use to direct the conduct of a test.
• 01:57 The trouble with this task is we don't have an action.
• 02:00 Are we writing the test protocol?
• 02:02 Are we approving the protocol?
• 02:04 Are we reviewing the protocol?
• 02:06 Are we following the protocol?
• 02:08 We don't know.
• 02:08 It needs an action.
• 02:10 This task description should be rewritten to say, write test protocol for
• 02:14 system ABC validation.
• 02:17 I now have an action that is clearly describing
• 02:20 one element of work on the project.
• 02:23 The next one is define requirements.
• 02:25 Now, that's a good action.
• 02:27 I know exactly what the action is.
• 02:29 But I don't know where the end point to this task.
• 02:32 Am I defining the requirements for what?
• 02:34 World peace?
• 02:36 Let's get a specific requirement that we are trying to define.
• 02:40 Consolidate design requirement from the doctors.
• 02:43 So now, I know who we are getting those requirements from and
• 02:46 what type of requirements we are getting.
• 02:48 The completion point is clarified.
• 02:51 Let's look at the third example, Prototype Testing.
• 02:54 I have an action, testing, and I know that it concerns the prototype.
• 02:58 But the problem with this particular activity is that it's too big for
• 03:01 just one piece of work.
• 03:03 There are several actions and completion points within it.
• 03:06 So what I need to do is to deploy this deliverable and
• 03:08 identify all the tasks associated with prototype testing.
• 03:13 I need to create the prototype test plan, schedule all aspects of prototype testing,
• 03:19 conduct the prototype tests and then analyze the prototype test results.
• 03:24 Having clear task descriptions will make it much easier for
• 03:28 project planning and project execution.

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