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Gantt chart

Planning artefact: Criterion B: planning

A dated plan of all five stages with every task linked to success criteria.

What it explains and when it is useful

A Gantt chart lists tasks down the side and time across the top; each bar shows when a task is planned. For the IA it shows the chronology of planning, designing, developing, testing and evaluating.

When to use it: Criterion B. The IB guide names GANTT and AGILE charts as formats that support the plan. An Agile board works as well if each card is dated and linked to success criteria.

Worked example

Illustrative: PracticePal is a fictional project used throughout this guide.

Gantt chart for PracticePal: five stages (plan, design, develop, test, evaluate) over 14 weeks; every task is linked to the success criteria it addresses and to the task it depends onIDTaskSuccess criteriaAfterWeek beginning (Monday)7 Sep14 Sep21 Sep28 Sep5 Oct12 Oct19 Oct26 Oct2 Nov9 Nov16 Nov23 Nov30 Nov7 DecPLANP1Observe sheet; meet head of musicA–P2Write and agree success criteriaSC1–10P1DESIGND1Decomposition, system model, wireframesSC1–10P2D2ERD, schema, SQL query designsSC2,4,5,6,10D1D3Algorithms: rules, waiting list, releaseSC4–8D1D4Test plan (normal / extreme / abnormal)SC1–10D3DEVELOPV1Accounts and loginSC1D2V2Week grid and booking formSC2, SC3V1V3Booking rules + concurrencySC4–6V2V4Waiting listSC7V3V5Check-in + scheduled releaseSC8V3V6Room blocks + usage reportSC9, SC10V3TESTT1Unit tests for each rule as builtSC4–8V3T2System + load tests from test planSC1–10V6T3Record 5-minute videoDT2EVALUATEE1Evaluate SC with head of musicSC1–10T2E2Write up; one draft to teacherA–EE1Milestone: complete draft to teacher, Fri 11 Dec
PracticePal's plan: five stages, 14 weeks, success criteria and dependencies for every task.

Scroll sideways to see the whole diagram.

Notation and legend

Symbol or partMeaning
Shaded rowsThe five stages: plan, design, develop, test, evaluate
BarsPlanned duration of a task
Success criteria columnWhich SC each task addresses (the link the exemplars rewarded)
After columnThe task that must finish first (dependency)
◇Milestone (a deadline with no duration)

Design decisions it communicates

A diagram earns marks when you explain the decisions it shows. In PracticePal's documentation these would each be one sentence:

  • The booking rules (V3) start early and run for three weeks because three later features depend on them.
  • Unit testing (T1) overlaps development instead of waiting for the end.
  • Evaluation is planned with the head of music, matching the success criteria.

Common mistakes

  • No success-criteria links: a great-looking chart still scored low.
  • Missing stages, usually Design or Evaluate.
  • A diary written after building, with suspiciously perfect dates.
  • Tasks so vague they could be in any project (“coding”, “testing”).

Checklist for your own version

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