I have recently become interested in how to manage large scale projects using graphics. In most of my research it seems that the tool or software dictates how the project is organized. On Tufte’s site I found a great discussion on this, including a lot of information on swim lane tools, so called (I presume) because each person or entity with task and responsibilities has their own ‘lane’ along the horizontal axis. I decided to devise a template for this tool, that one could use or customize to create a swim lane for their own project. That template is available below as a pdf file.
Here is a sample I created in Illustrator using the template. The sample project is an intense three week process we recently went through responding to an RFP (Request For Proposals) in a competitive bidding process. No, I don’t work with anyone named Scout, but I wish I did. Names and specifics are altered for the purpose of this sample. Click on the image for a larger, more legible version.
< I like how the information lays out intuitively; it's easy for the eye to track progress along the process. Some of Tufte's samples use drop lines to link events and responsible parties to dates on the timeline. In a three week project that didn't seem necessary, but certainly possible. The color coded phases across the top let you know that there's some writing going on in the proofing phase. There's room enough for added detail or handwritten notes as the project proceeds. I think that would be especially valuable for an organization that's trying to learn from their project processes. Quick notes about what worked well or what missed the mark would be invaluable and closely linked visually to the meta data about the process.
The pdf template has great versatility. I think it can lead almost anyone through the creation process. It can be printed out and worked by hand. Blow it up on the poster copier at Kinko's and you could facilitate a whole group through developing their own swim lanes, seeing where they fit in and how. It builds accountability and if it were posted somewhere public in the office, it would let everyone understand the process, see conflicts and measure progress. I'm very much a novice at Illustrator, but I was able to create this sample in short order, meaning digital copies could be easily created, shared and revised throughout the life of a project. I used color very simply in the sample, but color coding could add levels of detail and complexity.
The lanes on the template are uniformly spaced, unlike the drafts on Tufte's site which respond to how much any one person or group has to do by giving more space. The template could still be used as development tool, and such spacing issues could be managed when creating the working draft of the tool.
Check out the template. It is intended for 11″ x 17″ printing. The grid is deliberately very faint. It should show up fine when printed. I will be creating and posting an add-on page soon, that will allow you to continue your horizontal axis as far as you want.
I would welcome any comments or suggestions for further development.
