Managing time effectively

After reading Paula's Blog on Key Features of Project Management I realised that a key element of the inquiry is PLANNING. You can steam through the tasks but without and effective plan in place it is easy to get lost. Part of being an effective manager is having good organisational skills and often meeting deadlines.

Although I have made a start to my inquiry I started to feel that the days are rolling by and I am not getting many tasks completed. So far I have:

- Read through the module handbook and Reader 7 making notes

- Reviewed my initial plan and made the necessary changes due to my current circumstances

- Researched literature relevant to my inquiry and carried out a couple of reviews

- Written the aims and objectives of my inquiry

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by what I still have left to do I have created this ‘plan of action’ to the best I can for now in order to see week by week what tasks need to be completed. Currently living in the US cuts a week from my schedule in order to mail the coursework to England so I have had to take that into consideration. I also need to consider a new contract may come up forcing me to leave the area; therefore it is important I try to gather all the data using the inquiry tools as soon as I can. So with that in mind here is my action plan, which may change but allows me to see clearly what I need to complete.

PROFESSIONAL INQUIRY ACTION PLAN

WEEK                                    TASKS TO COMPLETE

10^th-16^th Oct               - Complete Literature Reviews

- Gain permission from Patrick Henry to carry out inquiry to theatre

- Ask selected participants to take part in an interview and send information on inquiry- summary, aims and objectives

- Arrange interview times

- Prepare interview questions

17^th-23^rd Oct              - Prepare for interviews: List of questions, video camera

                                     - Conduct interviews

- Complete survey on Survey Monkey. Post link on blog for BAPP network and email to professional community

24^th-30^th Oct                 - Start editing showreel for Professional Artefact

(New York 26^th-27^th)     - Start on pamphlet information for Artefact

31^st Oct-6^th Nov              - Carry out last interviews

                                         - Continue working on Artefacts

                                         - Catch up on any remaining tasks above

7^th-13^th Nov                       - Write first draft of introduction

                                           - Continue on Artefacts

14^th-20^th Nov                      - Analysis and Development of findings: discussion with SIGS and blogs

                                            - Start writing Evaluation of the Inquiry Process

                                            - Continue working on Artefacts

21^st-27^th Nov                       - Start writing Analysis of the Findings

(Thanksgiving Week)           - Continue Artefacts

28^th Nov-4^th Dec                 - Complete Professional Artefacts and send to Paula for feedback

                                             - Start writing Critical Reflection

5^th-11^th Dec                         - Catch up on above tasks

12^th-18^th Dec                       - Send first draft of Critical Review to Paula for Feedback

19^th-25^th Dec                       - Work on completing tasks

(University Holiday/Christmas)

26^th-31^st Dec                       - Make any necessary changes to coursework using feedback from Paula

(University Holiday/New Year)

2^nd-8^th Jan                            - Mail coursework to Middlesex University

9^th Jan                                   DEADLINE for submission of coursework 4pm Trent Park