Bloody bastard Gantt chart - IT problems!

So my gantt chart is corrupt, as are the 2 back up versions.  I took the file into work and had our IT guy James look into it.  It would appear that as I transferred it to my desktop some how it created a freaky file.

2 hours worth of input down the drain :(

I remain hopeful that the IT chap from uni has some more promising news for me.

So if not, this week I will complete my Gantt chart for the last 2 weeks as well as all previous activity!!

I'll ask Becky to complete the group one for the last two weeks so I can re load all the information.  Arse!

Working Presentation - writing the script

So yes I have been rocking out to the piano of Chiquitia still on the ABBA blast following the name being chosen.

I have been productive as well though.  I have started my Production Diary, at least I think I have.  Having looked at other people's Gantt Charts I feel I may have put far too much detail into it.

To produce the Gantt charts for Becky and I, I noted the activities and dates of all the items that we have published on the blog, as well as in the minutes.  I listed them all in a spreadsheet to populate the Gantt chart when we got back to uni (not having a version of Microsoft Project that is Mac compatible, nor access to a PC).

The blog itself has been my Production Diary, along with many a 'to do' list but I am not certain whether this will suffice for the presentation on the 8th November.  I emailed our tutor Iain to ask what format he needs it.

For the time being I'll continue to update the spreadsheet that I used for compiling the Gantt chart.  I have found it a useful tool for logging jobs that need to be done, as well as viewing my progress.  I'll also check on Tuesday (next tutorial) if we can really strip the Gantt charts out and make them much simpler?

Other areas I have been working on today have been the introduction to the working presentation script.  This includes much of the information from the pitch document.  I'm not posting any of it on here just yet, not being cloak and dagger but it is very much work in progress.

I have also done a bit of housekeeping, updating tags on the posts so the blog is easy to navigate around and items can be grouped.  I have also tidied up some of the files in my assignment folder on my Mac.

Finally I have done the minutes from last week and complied a 'to do' list/ schedule for next week.  Beck called earlier but we keep missing each other.  I like this blog as we can use it as a way to exchange ideas and where we are up to around the clock.  If we miss each other on the phone, we can catch up over the blog at what would be considered an anti social hour!

Image c/o simplyeighties.com

Group GANTT chart

Here are the dates for the group GANTT chart, these have part been from what we initially planned and subsequently actioned for the Pitch Document.

I have then taken all the items required from the other elements of the assignments and broken them down into tasks with deadlines.

Group
Tutorial Date		Action		Due Date		Actioned
05/07/2011		Received assignment		n/a		05/07/2011
05/07/2011		Chose Company Name		n/a		05/07/2011
05/07/2011		Started Brand Development		n/a		05/07/2011
05/07/2011		Agreed on product and type of games within it		n/a		05/07/2011
12/07/2011		Meeting		n/a		12/07/2011
12/07/2011		GANTT chart tutorial		n/a		12/07/2011
12/07/2011		read brief & noted key dates to create action plan for GANTT chart		n/a		12/07/2011
19/07/2011		Agree on logo		19/07/2011		20/07/2011
19/07/2011		Agreed blog would be digital note/scrap book.  This could be an online diary/tracker.		n/a		19/07/2011
19/07/2011		Agreed website will be online portfolio/ showcase for or work		n/a		19/07/2011
19/07/2011		To sketch character ideas		27/07/2011
27/07/2011		No tutorial and we were unable to meet over summer due to holidays so we worked independantly keeping in touch via the blog		n/a		n/a
06/09/2011		Meeting at the Waterside Farm - catch up on work done over summer		06/10/2011		06/10/2011
06/09/2011		Brainstorm name ideas		13/09/2011
06/09/2011		Re-visit pitch requirements		06/09/2011		06/09/2011
06/09/2011		Agree on draft overview, key selling points, delivery method		06/09/2011		06/09/2011
06/09/2011		A skills audit, job specification & CV (for each team member)		29/09/2011
06/09/2011		Design and conceptual work that clearly illustrates how the product will look and function		29/09/2011
06/09/2011		photograph portraits for website (postponed as BS glasses are in for repair)		29/09/2011
06/09/2011		Collate all dates, individual and group of actions for Gantt Chart (for all team members, for the whole project)		29/09/2011
06/09/2011		Agreed on deadlines for group tasks required for submissions		06/09/2011		06/09/2011
06/09/2011		Illustrate how the product will function and look
06/09/2011		Print out images for Design and Conceptual work		13/09/2011
06/09/2011		Sound, Animation, activity page for the children to collect and colour their own photos collected while exploring. Discussed.		n/a		n/a
13/09/2011		Meeting cancelled - unforseen circumstances - next available date is 27/09		n/a		n/a
27/09/2011		Agree on name		04/10/2011
27/09/2011		Complete pitch document		03/10/2011
03/10/2011		Hand in Pitch Document		04/10/2011
03/10/2011		Plan the requirements for the Working Product Presentation		04/10/2011
03/10/2011		Start Production diary each		01/11/2011
03/10/2011		Assign all designs to members - for all games, 3D elements, Map, Points Display, School Shop, School, Post Prod areas (gallery & colouring), Intro animation - B&P logo, game logo, Island. Delivery Material - check if any more are needed?!		04/10/2011
04/10/2011		Write introduction to project; key selling points, purpose & delivery		05/10/2011
04/10/2011		Draft design for delivery material - CD package & label, Memory Stick casing and packaging. As well as any additional material that is included with it e.g. booklet.		11/10/2011
04/10/2011		Complete all designs - for all games, 3D elements, Map, Points Display, School Shop, School, Post Prod areas (gallery & colouring), Intro animation - B&P logo, game logo, Island		25/10/2011
04/10/2011		Start the animating/ authoring of the functions - this is ongoing but a draft version must be completed and tested by - 01/11		01/11/2011
04/10/2011		Plan individual tasks required for the next two elements and update individual GANTT charts accordingly		11/10/2011
04/10/2011		Re-visit the introduction - has anything changed?		25/10/2011
04/10/2011		Produce visuals/ handouts for all minuits & GANTT chart		25/10/2011
04/10/2011		Write presentation & technical explaination of each member's individual contribution		25/10/2011
04/10/2011		Write evaluation of team's performance as it stands		25/10/2011
04/10/2011		Write evaluation of product as it stands		25/10/2011
04/10/2011		Complete all elements of the Contextual Research Document		01/11/2011
04/10/2011		Submission - Contextual Research		08/11/2011
04/10/2011		Have all elements of working product presentation completed and written by this date and practice the presentation		01/11/2011
04/10/2011		Presentation - Working Product - 15 mins		08/11/2011
04/10/2011		Print the packaging for the product		13/12/2011
04/10/2011		Have all elements of the final presentation completed and written by this date and practice the presentation		13/12/2011
04/10/2011		Presentation - Final		20/12/2011

Back to school!

Back to our tutorials at Holy Cross this evening.  I was great to see everyone but the catch up felt a little rushed in that this is the only session with our tutor (and the much required Project software), before our submission next week.

Iain ran through the brief again giving us the opportunity to ask any niggling questions.  The main thing I got from the Q&A was that the submission is a documnet only.  PDF format.  Therefore all ambitions of creating an animated presentation and design board can be shelve, freeing up- more time to really nail the pitch document writing! PHEW!

Most of this is written now, published on the blog, with some articles yet to be go live.  As such the creation of the documnet itself should be fairly straight forward, copying and pasting our existing texts and images.

Next is tackling the GANTT chart, neither Becky nor I have this software on our computers so I am completeing the charts this evening using Microsoft Project on the college PC, populating the fields from all the dates in my notes.