Part 5: The project diary
The project diary
How to expertly use time management tips and different scheduling methods for your project, including Node diagrams and Gantt charts.
We’ve previously discussed the importance of documentation (e.g., Part 2: Project planning) in the context of the project plan. Another important form of documentation is the Project Diary.
The Project Diary is a self-improvement resource meant to be used throughout the duration of the project; in it, we collect information about project management-related activities. Just like how your lab notebook helps you run future experiments, your project notebook helps you run future projects.
The diary serves as:
- A log of activities and achievements.
- A record of time required for project tasks.
- Record of lessons learned while running your project.
- A tracker of the ability or inability of venders/departments to deliver in a timely fashion.
- Causes for delays to or changes to your project.
- Summary of project meetings and project outcomes.
Project diary versus project plan
Your Project Diary can include your Project Plan. The main difference between the Project Plan and the Project Diary is when you write it. Typically, your Project Plan is made in its entirety at the beginning of your project. A Project Diary is updated throughout your entire project and includes more of the day-to-day notes about your project.
Useful tools for keeping a Project Diary include: Microsoft OneNote, Microsoft InkSeine, Google Docs, Evernote or just pen and paper.
- Sidenote! The Open Science Framework (OSF) is a popular website where psychology and the social sciences have been publishing their research documentation and analyses. You can check it out here!
Some things to keep track of in your Project Diary include notes about changes in scheduling, any changes to the original project plan that have been agreed upon by stakeholders, and dates of completion for deliverables along the project path.
The most important takeaway is that documentation and keeping a Project Diary is important during all aspects of your project – the beginning, the middle, and even at the end. During the close out of a project you will refer to your Project Diary to reflect on the project as whole. You will save this diary so that if anyone works on the same project (or a similar project) in the future, they will have your detailed notes to use instead of starting from scratch.
Starting your project diary
We have given some suggest platforms and methods for keeping your project diary but ultimately, you should know what will work best for you! An important aspect of keeping a project diary is actually using the project diary and the best way to ensure that you use your project diary and keep it up to date is to make this process as easy as possible.
Instructions: Click on the accordion below to learn more about each of these terms.
You want a project diary that you can access whenever you need it.
If you’re a person who will often have a bookbag, you might opt for the classic paper and pen method with a notebook. However, if you know you’ll always have access to a computer or will have a laptop with you might prefer some of the digital platforms instead.
You want a project diary that you would use.
Some people prefer to write things down, others prefer to type. Ultimately, you want to choose a method of documentation that you will use. Naturally, for those who prefer to type, digital platforms may be preferred while those who prefer to write may use more traditional methods (pen and paper) or a blend of both such as using a tablet to write digital notes (e.g., GoodNotes).
You may need to consider how your project diary will live on beyond the project (more in Part 6: Closing out a project).
When finishing a project, you would need to consider how you will store your documentation and sometimes this contributes to your decisions on how you’ll keep your project diary. For example, in modern days many things have become digitized so if you plan on keeping a physical notebook you may need to scan or transcribe your notebook later on
There are several techniques for managing project schedules. In this section of the module, we are going to look at two: Node/Network diagrams and Gantt charts.
Learning activity 10: Choosing the best platform for you and your project diary
Now let’s do some research!
You may be familiar with some of the previously suggested platforms we suggested for keeping a project diary or you may not. A key aspect when using a platform to keep a project diary is being familiar with the platform so you can optimize it’s use.
Explore some of the suggested platforms for keeping a project diary or find your own. Try them out and answer the following questions in Discord:
- Which is your preferred platform?
- What are the advantages of this platform?
- What are some disadvantages?