Guild of Project Controls: Compendium | Roles | Assessment | Certifications | Membership

Tips on using this forum..

(1) Explain your problem, don't simply post "This isn't working". What were you doing when you faced the problem? What have you tried to resolve - did you look for a solution using "Search" ? Has it happened just once or several times?

(2) It's also good to get feedback when a solution is found, return to the original post to explain how it was resolved so that more people can also use the results.

Task Descriptions

12 replies [Last post]
Darren Kosa
User offline. Last seen 7 years 6 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 8 Feb 2008
Posts: 256
Groups: None
First of all let me start off with a disclaimer... now I know nouns are important because they serve as the subject or object in a sentence, but who else thinks that ’Action’ verbs should be mandatory at the start of all project schedule task descriptions?

Many moons ago I was given a list of action verbs to help construct project schedules, it encouraged me to define the task and think about the deliverables, but it also meant the schedule could be used as a stakeholder communication tool and stop it becoming as a ’To-do’ list.

Lately, many schedules I’ve seen simply have tasks with descriptions such as ’Unit Test’ or ’Factory Acceptance’. To me this is the antithesis of everything I was taught... keep the description brief, relate the task to a deliverable and start the description with a verb!!

By the way here’s the list that I was given, it’s been through a few iterations but has served me well. Anybody else care to add a few?

-------------------------

Administration/Management

Administer, Advise, Arrange, Assist, Brief, Communicate, Control, Coordinate, Direct, Enable, Instruct, Manage, Monitor, Negotiate, Organise, Provide, Supervise, Support

Assessment/Estimation

Analyse, Assess, Appraise, Collect, Determine, Establish, Estimate, Evaluate, Expand, Identify, Inspect, Recommend, Research, Review, Revise, Survey, Target

Definition/Requirements

Approve, Choose, Define, Describe, Design, Develop, Obtain, Plan, Prepare, Reduce, Schedule

Construction/Production

Adapt, Assemble, Build, Compile, Construct, Create, Enhance, Generate, Improve, Manufacture, Obtain, Perform, Produce, Write

Acceptance/Validation

Accept, Check, Conduct, Confirm, Demonstrate, Pilot, Present, Ratify, Test, Trial, Validate

Delivery/Implementation

Complete, Deliver, Implement, Launch, Move, Publish, Reorganise, Release, Replace, Train

Replies

Chris Oggham
User offline. Last seen 9 years 13 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 605
Groups: None
Charlie,

Since you seem to be having some difficulty with the word, the link will take you to some definitions of dismount. I’m sure you’ll be able to figure out which one James means.

Chris Oggham
Tom Howard
User offline. Last seen 8 years 29 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 20 Jun 2003
Posts: 119
Groups: None
LOL - Charleston you have restored my faith in this forum... It can be entertaining after all !
Charleston-Joseph...
User offline. Last seen 2 years 35 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 10 Jul 2005
Posts: 1347
Groups: None
James,

What is this verb "DISMOUNT" used in planning????

What is the noun???

Please give an example.

I only dismount after F????ng my G???F????F and both of us say AHHH!!!!, that was nice.

Please claify my innocent mind.


Ronald Romero
User offline. Last seen 32 weeks 4 days ago. Offline
Joined: 12 Nov 2006
Posts: 63
Here something different

procure, cabling, issue, marking, shaping, grassing, regrow

This are verbs that i encounter in being involve Golf

Courses.


Rgards
Anoon Iimos
User offline. Last seen 2 years 10 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 22 Sep 2006
Posts: 1422
yes, but on the other hand you can say: machine; wires; pipes; panelboards etc.
James Barnes
User offline. Last seen 1 year 5 days ago. Offline
Joined: 6 Sep 2007
Posts: 243
Arf, some nice suggestions there. Joking aside, I’d add;

clean, connect, disconnect, dismount, inspect, Install, modify, overhaul, re-install, Remove, Repair

Can you tell I schedule maintenance works? :P
Anoon Iimos
User offline. Last seen 2 years 10 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 22 Sep 2006
Posts: 1422
I believe this is where "Steps" will come in. For me, Task or Activity should be quantifiable physically and in terms of costs.
Chris Oggham
User offline. Last seen 9 years 13 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 605
Groups: None
Andrew,

You are spot on! You can also add mislead, misconceive, misunderstand, misdirect, waffle, pontificate and avoid to the list.

Chris Oggham
Charleston-Joseph...
User offline. Last seen 2 years 35 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 10 Jul 2005
Posts: 1347
Groups: None
Darren,

Your idea is correct.

But somehow other project team members dont appreciate it because it connotes actions on their part.

Tack description should be as what you learned. verb noun.

Very simple and easy to understand.

fabricate forms instead of fabrication of forms
install rebars instead of installation of rebars
pour concrete instead of pouring concrete
paint wall
place masonry blocks instead of painting wall
excavate dirt/soil instead of site excavation
install ceramic tile instead of installation of ceramic tiles

This is also the way I prefer to describe task but as I travelled a lot and involved with different project different nationality, i did encountered IDIOTS that convuluted the whole planning process.

This IDIOTS are people in power or influence that wield to much power and ignoramus in there actions to the point of dictatorial management. They just say I’m the boss and follow what I want, How I understand planning.

At least here in PP we have peers that understand our language.

Cheers
Andrew Dick
User offline. Last seen 8 years 10 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 14 Feb 2007
Posts: 295
What about when the PM doesn’t like the answers the schedule is giving, based on the current status, and he/she has to provide a report to executive management, and the planner is invariably asked to create ’That’ Report.

Could we not start the report creation activity with the following?

lie, fib, perjure, feign, misrepresent, fake, pretend, forge, pretend, conjure, counterfeit, fabricate, simulate
Darren Kosa
User offline. Last seen 7 years 6 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 8 Feb 2008
Posts: 256
Groups: None
Nicely done sir... I’ll get straight onto creating another category!!

I’ll also add ignore...
Tom Howard
User offline. Last seen 8 years 29 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 20 Jun 2003
Posts: 119
Groups: None
Going by some of the Planners out there...

General Planning

Blunder, Flounder, Guess, Speculate, Invent, Fabricate, Contrive