A Quick Guide to using Google Drive for WULF Project

Management

Google Drive and the forms and spreadsheets available within it have the potential to allow Project Managers to monitor and record project work in an effective and efficient manner on multiple devices from home, office or on the go, to share this information in real time with key stakeholders, and to aid with reporting to Welsh Government and others.

This quick guide is designed to help WULF Project Managers to access, create copies and make adaptions to the forms developed by UNISON's Connecting Learners in North Wales and DigiSkills Cymru WULF Projects.

By following the steps below, and with a bit of perseverance, Project Managers should be able to create their own PRINCE2-derived products form monitoring and controlling their projects.

Before you start...

Please check your ICT Usage policy to ensure that you can access Google Drive through your work network.

Step 1

This is the easy bit. Create a Google Account – if you've already got a gmail then you've already got a google account. Then click the little grid icon in the top right of the google homepage and choose “Drive”.

Step 2

Now for the more technical stuff. Click each of the links below, then go to “File” and then “Make a Copy” on each form. Give each of your new forms a new document name. The simplest thing to do is to replace the words 'Copy of DigiSkills' with your project name.

Activity Log

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/147BLvT3yWAMC70otS17HAPjMTGWyG5vuKfODishm7S8/edit?usp=sharing

Communication Management Strategy Planning Document

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15cu6hyynnBMhtA1ny6BcAfzuan6A-xNqz5cRxq2dLJI/edit?usp=sharing

Issues Log

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/17UCTu5yUTpCY5kXYcE-MyxJBCro6ffKJI_KdJ8wOFrQ/edit?usp=sharing

Lessons Log

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GEQHy-pBsNdfCw8pPpVdKwokmnP9Omwsbs-JyFZu30c/edit?usp=sharing

Product and Activity Tracker

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1R42mCwyLZDvprvABD_lCihy2_2Wn3p84f-KD8ZeyIks/edit?usp=sharing

Risk Register

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1iE758436z_MIqXdm12wGWvTbsEsTW44_NnY7yH4M2XU/edit?usp=sharing

Step 3

It's time for tailoring. Edit the forms to suit your project's Objectives and Targets, particularly the Activity Log and Product and Activity Tracker. The forms are currently set up to reflect the Targets and Objectives of the DigiSkills Cymru project and unless you change them they will be of no use to you.

Step 4

Next, for each form click “Choose response destination”, and choose the option to create a “New Spreadsheet”. I'd recommend you use the document name that is generated automatically.

Step 5

Organise your new forms and spreadsheets into a folder in your Google Drive. Share this folder with all those who need access (your Project team, line managers, Project Steering Group, etc)

Step 6

Use the forms to populate the spreadsheets as and when you need. The forms can be accessed on your tablet, smartphone and PC.

Step 7

Now use them. Use the information recorded in the responses spreadsheets for your reports and to keep track of your work. The response spreadsheets can be really useful as you can include hyperlinks within your reports that allow 3rd parties (such as Welsh Government Contract Managers) to view but not edit up-to-date information without having to request it from you.

The hard part is getting into the discipline of using the tools to record your outcomes on a regular basis. The Risk Register may need updating every week, the Lessons Log every quarter, the Issues Log only when an issue arises. But the Activity Log in particular will need to be built into your everyday work.