Tasks, Deliverables and Plans to Organize Projects (v8.xx)

Tasks, Deliverables and Plans to Organize Projects (v8.xx)

To better understand and monitor a project, it is generally split into several phases, which contain activities (tasks) and products (deliverables). These phases can be sequential or parallel. The length of a phase time elapsed between the earliest and the latest date of all tasks and deliverables contained in the phase.. Each phase should end with a deliverable (or milestone) that can be of technical, financial or other nature. Deliverables are necessary for the control of a project since they act as check points. A deliverable must be visible, measurable and tangible.


In order to achieve a project’s objectives, the project leader relies on the support of his /her project members. Even though the project leader is not always a specialist in the project domain, the project leader must have a clear understanding of the deliverables to be produced, the tasks required delivering them and the resources best qualified to successfully perform the work.


To help organize the project and ensure that the project leader is in control of it at all times, he/she creates a chart of tasks and deliverables spanning across the intended project timeline. It is then the project leader’s job to assign these tasks to the project team members. If tasks are too complex for single people to complete them on their own, tasks can be split into several smaller ones and assigned to different individuals. This way, the project leader can delegate the responsibilities between the different working groups.


A "Task" document is created for each task. This document contains all of the characteristics and parameters defined for a single work activity. It includes:

Name of the task

Name of the individual who created and scheduled the task (the requester) Assigned resources

Cost Duration

Start and end dates Description of the task Other relevant information

Similar to a task, a document is also created for deliverables to describe its parameters. A "Deliverable" document includes:

Name of the deliverable

Name of the resource responsible for the deliverable Resources that need to approve the deliverable Expected delivery and approval dates

Phase it should be delivered in


The Gantt chart, named after his inventor, Henry Laurence Gantt, is the ideal tool for successful communication of a project’s plan. It is a graphical representation of phases, activities (tasks),


project timeframe, as well as milestones (deliverables). The Gantt chart is used for the definition of tasks, to display their duration and links, and for communication between the different implicated parties.


The first way to plan a project with Geniusproject is to create Phase, Deliverable and Task documents manually. Very small or unique projects, such as ones grouping administrative tasks, may be planned this way. In all other cases the Genius Planner Gantt chart should be used (see next chapter).

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