Unit 4, 2.1 - "Describe effective time management skills needed to plan workload."
Knowing how to manage your time effectively is a skill that is invaluable when it comes down to planning your workload.
Time management skills that would be needed for planning a workload can range from a number of things, but most importantly, to ensure a smooth-running plan, it is all about learning, and carrying out, the following:
1) Being aware of what needs to be completed.
2) Setting out a plan of what you are going to do when/where, etc.
3) Going through your plan, one by one, and completing the tasks (remembering to keep note of what you have done and what is left to finish.)
Unit 4, 2.2 - "Describe how to specify and agree timescales, budgets and resources."
Working out what the project at hand is of first importance before agreeing timescales, budgets and resources. Once you are aware of the project, then, you are able to fulfill the rest of the criteria needed.
Ask yourself these questions:
Timescale - How long will it take for you to complete the task, and when does it need to be completed?
Budgets - Do I need anything for the task, and, if so, how much will it cost?
Resources - What will you need to complete the task?
One important task I had to carry out as an apprentice for my appointed company was to get a Digibeta copy of our film, along with a selection of photographic stills stored on some-kind of portable hard drive.
Firstly, I identified the timescale I had to do this in. The package had to be in Germany by the end of the week, and I was asked to do this task on Tuesday night, to begin on Wednesday morning, so it was of utmost importance.
Secondly, I noted that the stills for the film also needed to be transported with the Digibeta copy, so, once I tried to copy the photos to a DVD and that didn't work, I instead used a 4GB USB to store them on. This meant that I went over my estimated budget of £10 for the storage of the photos, but in certain situations like this one, it was needed.
For the second part of the budget (sending the tape and the stills) I estimated around £50 in total for the shipping of the package.
Lastly, for the resources part of the task, I needed someone to be able to send the package to Germany for it to be delivered the next day. Here, I noted that the best place in order to complete my task would be the post office, and so the package was sent through Royal Mail for a next day delivery.
Unit 4, 2.3 - "Explain how to construct a simple project plan."Working out what the project at hand is of first importance before agreeing timescales, budgets and resources. Once you are aware of the project, then, you are able to fulfill the rest of the criteria needed.
Ask yourself these questions:
Timescale - How long will it take for you to complete the task, and when does it need to be completed?
Budgets - Do I need anything for the task, and, if so, how much will it cost?
Resources - What will you need to complete the task?
One important task I had to carry out as an apprentice for my appointed company was to get a Digibeta copy of our film, along with a selection of photographic stills stored on some-kind of portable hard drive.
Firstly, I identified the timescale I had to do this in. The package had to be in Germany by the end of the week, and I was asked to do this task on Tuesday night, to begin on Wednesday morning, so it was of utmost importance.
Secondly, I noted that the stills for the film also needed to be transported with the Digibeta copy, so, once I tried to copy the photos to a DVD and that didn't work, I instead used a 4GB USB to store them on. This meant that I went over my estimated budget of £10 for the storage of the photos, but in certain situations like this one, it was needed.
For the second part of the budget (sending the tape and the stills) I estimated around £50 in total for the shipping of the package.
Lastly, for the resources part of the task, I needed someone to be able to send the package to Germany for it to be delivered the next day. Here, I noted that the best place in order to complete my task would be the post office, and so the package was sent through Royal Mail for a next day delivery.
Constructing a project plan is easy to do once you know how. There are certain criteria that should be followed to determine a simple-to-follow plan, but also one that is effective.
To explain how to set up a project plan, the example I am going to give is all about sourcing, and gaining, the information needed to set up your companies website. This was a task I was set to do at my company, and one that was pretty important for the re-design and launch of our website.
1) Understanding the brief you have been tasked seems to be obvious, but a lot of the time we don't listen or read the brief at hand. For this example, I needed to fish out photographs free-of-copyright that could be used on the site for specific in-development features.
2) Like effectively managing your workload, constructing a simple project plan is no different - you need to be aware of what needs to be completed, the timescale that the project given to you has been set for completion, if there are budgets, and what are the resources that are required from you or anyone else. The more information you are aware of, the easier it will be to complete the task in the end. I had to ask what sort of photos I needed to get for each film, as all of them dealt with different themes and I couldn't find a picture of a rabbit and stick it with a horror film - it would be totally irrelevant and would defeat the purpose of what we were trying to portray for that particular film.
3) Once you are aware of all these details, it is time to make yourself a physical version of your project plan, so you have something to go back and forth to. You can use Word, Excel, or any other program that will enable you to build tables - whatever works for you, really, as long as you have some kind of reference for your project.
4) List out the requirements from you, your timescale, budgets (if any) and resources. Having an electronic version of your project plan will definitely help in the long-run. As you go along, you can update this in accordance to how much you have achieved so far.
To explain how to set up a project plan, the example I am going to give is all about sourcing, and gaining, the information needed to set up your companies website. This was a task I was set to do at my company, and one that was pretty important for the re-design and launch of our website.
1) Understanding the brief you have been tasked seems to be obvious, but a lot of the time we don't listen or read the brief at hand. For this example, I needed to fish out photographs free-of-copyright that could be used on the site for specific in-development features.
2) Like effectively managing your workload, constructing a simple project plan is no different - you need to be aware of what needs to be completed, the timescale that the project given to you has been set for completion, if there are budgets, and what are the resources that are required from you or anyone else. The more information you are aware of, the easier it will be to complete the task in the end. I had to ask what sort of photos I needed to get for each film, as all of them dealt with different themes and I couldn't find a picture of a rabbit and stick it with a horror film - it would be totally irrelevant and would defeat the purpose of what we were trying to portray for that particular film.
3) Once you are aware of all these details, it is time to make yourself a physical version of your project plan, so you have something to go back and forth to. You can use Word, Excel, or any other program that will enable you to build tables - whatever works for you, really, as long as you have some kind of reference for your project.
4) List out the requirements from you, your timescale, budgets (if any) and resources. Having an electronic version of your project plan will definitely help in the long-run. As you go along, you can update this in accordance to how much you have achieved so far.
5) Finally, on the project plan, add any other key issues that you need to. I jotted down the kinds of photos I needed for a particular film, so I wouldn't forget. I also got a few reference images to help me out (ones that were copyrighted) and added a number of free stock image sites to look at.
And there you have it, a quick guide that clearly demonstrates how to make a simple project plan. It is best to remember that, when viewing a plan such as this, it works in a more effective way than a list - with just a little bit more thought gone into it!
2.4 "Explain the use of a contingency plan"
A contingency plan is (in other words) a pre-prepared plan that would have been instigated in case something goes wrong on in a certain situation. This can span from something as simple as a particular person not being able to come into work, or a missing production card on a shoot of a film.
The use of a contingency plan and to have one in place, is important because it is never a 100% bet that everything will run smoothly, whatever the situation is. Though it is only in particular circumstances where a contingency plan would have to be used, there is nothing wrong with setting one up for the off-chance that something doesn't go according to the original plan.
2.5 "Explain the importance of storing work, using version control and observing file naming conventions."
It is important, when storing work, to use version control (basically the changes that have been made on your computer, whether that is the history or downloading a massive software package) and observing file naming conventions.
Conventions are usually there for a purpose, as, when storing your work, there are certain key words that can be remembered, and version control can keep track of these.
I've come across the problem in and outside of work where I have saved a document someone had sent to me, without finding the correct file it needed to go into, or changing the title of the document. At a later stage, when trying to search for this document, it was impossible because I couldn't remember what I had saved it under, and where. You can't rely on Windows XP's search engine to find a document for you - you should know where you placed it to save yourself, and others, a lot of valuable time.
It's best to be over-organised than under-organised and noting what file naming conventions are makes it so much easier for you or anyone else to look for a particular document.
It is important, when storing work, to use version control (basically the changes that have been made on your computer, whether that is the history or downloading a massive software package) and observing file naming conventions.
Conventions are usually there for a purpose, as, when storing your work, there are certain key words that can be remembered, and version control can keep track of these.
I've come across the problem in and outside of work where I have saved a document someone had sent to me, without finding the correct file it needed to go into, or changing the title of the document. At a later stage, when trying to search for this document, it was impossible because I couldn't remember what I had saved it under, and where. You can't rely on Windows XP's search engine to find a document for you - you should know where you placed it to save yourself, and others, a lot of valuable time.
It's best to be over-organised than under-organised and noting what file naming conventions are makes it so much easier for you or anyone else to look for a particular document.
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