ABSTRACT

Planning documents will likely need to be updated as the design evolves through the design and development process as a result of resource conflicts, changes to input requirements, the results of verification or validation activities. Design and development plans will vary depending on the complexity of the project and the degree of risk associated with the device and product. The Gantt chart was developed by Charles Gantt in 1917. It provides a graphical representation of the sequence of tasks and is an excellent tool for quickly assessing the status of a project. Program evaluation and review techniques charts were first developed in the 1950s by the Navy to help manage the Polaris submarine missile program. Each chart begins with an initiation node that branches out into other nodes that represent events or milestones. These nodes are linked by directional lines representing tasks in the project.