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are not sufficient for the representation of task and item dependencies. This is
because they do not show relationships between the completion and the startup of
connected tasks. Another benefit to the Gantt chart is that it is highly under-
standable, unlike some of its more verbose counter parts such as the N 2 , which
though is able to convey inputs and outputs of the task, and it is perpetually more
complex. During the project development phase, a Gantt chart spanning the entire
development phase should be drafted so that all team members and the customer
have an overview and proposed timeline. Internally it may be necessary to create
N 2 or other diagrams with more detail to guide the development.
Using the N 2 , team members can see what tasks are ready to be under taken.
Unlike Gantt charts that progress linearly and rely on a certain sequence of events,
N2 provides the activities that must be accomplished before a task can begin. For
instance, if Interface task 1 (I 1 ) can be completed, and then system specification
can take place. The following is a Gantt chart of the above procedure, but note how
the Gantt chart is ambiguous as to the actual dependencies of the activities.
It should be noted that Fig. 13.2 is not the only format for N 2 diagrams. There
are formats such as the line and arrow, and the circle diagram. The diagrams are
semantically the same, but there is just a subtle difference in the representations so
that non-technical users can understand them without much effort. Consider a few
aspects, such as your audience's technical know-how, purpose and time frame
when choosing the scheduling diagram (Fig. 13.3 ).
N 2
Fig. 13.2
diagram adapted from Thayer and Dorman ( 1990 ) (IEEE)
 
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