PROGRAMS
AmeriCorps VISTA Hub
California Academic Health Department
Public Health Training Center
▸ Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG)
Discover public health project management tools, templates, and videos
Build your project management foundation
Five Essential Questions for Project Planning
If you’re new to project planning and unsure where to start, this is the video for you! It goes over the five essential questions you need to ask to make sure your project plan covers all the major bases.
Timestamps
Question #1: What is the Scope of this project?
Question #2: When does your project need to be done? - 1:24
Question #3: What activities need to be accomplished, and when? - 2:08
Question #4: How will you keep track of outputs and progress? - 4:04
Question #5: How can we improve this process for the next project? - 5:37
Six Useful Tools for Project Management
This training comprises an overview of common project management tools and discusses the pros, cons, and best use cases for each.
Timestamps
Project Charter – 0:22
Risk management Plan - 3:10
ROAM (Resolved, Owned, Accepted, Mitigated) – 6:20
RACI Chart (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) – 10:15
Referenced: RACI Chart Article from Smartsheet.com
Excel – 13:56
Referenced: Excel CHIP Development Tool
Gantt Chart – 16:25
ESSENTIAL RESOURCES
Project Charter Templates
Get aligned on the purpose and deliverables for your public health initiative and secure early commitment from key stakeholders.
Epic Project Charter Template from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
This project charter template contains detailed instructions on how to complete each section.
Project Charter Template from Minnesota Dept. of Health
Designed specifically for use by health departments, this shorter, streamlined project charter template makes development a snap!
Note: You can learn more about the function and purpose of Project Charters in this video clip: “Six Useful Tools for Project Management”.
Dive deeper into project management and refine your process
Twelve Project Management Pitfalls to Avoid
This video explores a wide variety of common project management pitfalls that can arise as projects progress and discusses how they can be avoided or minimized.
How to Maximize Planning Meetings
In this video, Shaena Rouse describes different elements of her own internal planning meetings that ensure everybody is on the same page, work keeps moving forward, and nothing falls through the cracks.
ESSENTIAL RESOURCES
Expand your project management toolbox
Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) Development Tool
This tool breaks down the Community Health Improvement Plan creation process into straightforward steps. Each tab represents a required element, so once the user has filled in each tab, they should have everything they need to move forward.
Notes:
The example CHIP presented in this tool is a real project from Brown County, Wisconsin
Instructions are provided in red text on a yellow background
Risk Management Plan Template from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
This multi-page template will help users do all the relevant planning and assessment and walks them through all the identified risks and plans associated with each.
Note: You can learn more about the function and purpose of Risk Management Plans in this video clip: “Six Useful Tools for Project Management”.
Grant Application Steps and Sample Checklist
If you’re processing your first grant application, this handy list of typical grant application steps will give you a good idea of what elements are involved, and how to plan your work to ensure you hit your deadline.
The Sample Requirement Checklist tab also shows common documentation you might be asked to compile as part of your grant application.
Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed (RACI) Chart Article from Smartsheet.com
This article has everything you need to know to build a RACI chart, complete with helpful tips and free downloadable sample charts.
Note: You can learn more about the function and purpose of RACI Charts in this video clip: “Six Useful Tools for Project Management”.
Become an expert at building Gantt charts
Tutorial: How to Build a Gantt Chart in Excel
Take the mystery out of Excel chart building with this straightforward tutorial that explains what raw data is needed, and how to turn that raw data into a helpful waterfall Gantt chart.
ESSENTIAL RESOURCES
Step-by-step guides to help you build Gantt charts
Instructions: Lesson 1 - How to Build a Gantt Chart in Excel
With clear text and plenty of screenshots, these written instructions will walk you through the process of using Excel Chart tools to turn your proposed timeline into a Gantt (Stacked Bar) chart – one that will automatically update to reflect changes in your schedule in real time.
Download the raw data and written instructions so you can practice at home.
Note: There’s a video walkthrough of this content as well: “Gantt Chart Video Walkthrough”.
Instructions: Lesson 2 – Color Coding Your Gantt Chart
These written instructions take your Gantt chart skills one step further. Learn how to color-code your chart by category or assignee, so you can easily see which portion of the chart applies to which category.
Download the raw data and written instructions so you can practice at home.