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27 Operating a contracted assignment or project requires active management on two fronts: managing the work that will be undertaken and managing the client. These are inter-related and we deal with each in turn. Managing the Project Planning You will have planned the project in some detail in order to write the proposal. You need to confirm the actual resources and timescales once the project starts, particularly if some time has elapsed since agreeing the proposal. You must inform staff who will be working on the project that it has been commissioned by the client and ask them to confirm their projected availability and make bookings for any specialist equipment required. If you have overlooked any major issues then address them now. There are numerous project planning tools available, each of which has its devotees. It is important to remember that these are merely aids. They can help you, but only you can manage your project. There are many examples of catastrophic consulting assignments that have used the best and latest project management tools, so be sure that you are very familiar with any sophisticated systems or methodologies. In contrast, a straightforward, valuable tool is the Gantt chart that shows the activities over time. Here is a simple example, as frequently appears in consultants' proposals: An example of a Gantt chart Week number Event 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Conduct Needs Analysis 4 4 Consolidate and report 4 4 Gather and analyse data 4 4 Model new solutions 4 4 4 4 Evaluate and adjust 4 4 4 4 Implement new system throughout organisation Write final report 4 Meet with management team 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Operating Section 5 4