Devise a Plan and Schedule
The core audit team should examine past Crime and Disorder Audits produced for
your area. It will also be helpful to Consult those involved in producing the first
audit on the tasks that they undertook – problems, constraints, advice, lessons learned
etc - any subsequent interim audits.
The team should look to plan the sequence in which tasks need implementing, which
elements can take place at the same time and which depend on other aspects of work
being completed. For instance, initial data analysis could begin before the completion
of all data collection.
Decide which members of the team will undertake specific tasks and which elements
will be contracted out. Determine individuals’ availability and the proportion of
time each week they could spend on the audit. If elements of the audit are contracted
out, the whole contracting process will have to be planned in detail before actual
work can begin.
An overall plan of the audit process with time-scales and elements of the work
allocated to different individuals should now be drawn up. This information can be
presented in a variety of ways (according to need and IT availability). Partnerships
will most likely choose one or more of the following options:
- Milestone Plan – this provides a range of key activities in the audit process
and indicates the dates by which they need to be completed. The tasks identified
in a Critical Path Analysis (see below) as having the potential to delay the whole
process should be highlighted as being the most important to complete on time.
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- Critical Path Analysis – this can be produced by hand or MS Project by entering
tasks and sub-tasks, their duration and deadlines. It will indicate which tasks, if
not completed on time, will delay the entire project and which elements of the work
can slip without a knock-on effect.
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- Gantt Chart – this shows each activity (e.g. data analysis, publication of
audit) as a horizontal bar plotted on a timeline. It shows when and for how long each
activity will occur and which elements of work will happen at the same time. Gantt
is available on MS Project
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- Activity Network (or PERT chart) – this diagram shows how the different aspects
of work on the audit are related to and reliant on each other. Links between the different
elements of work show which tasks need to be completed before a specific aspect of
the audit can begin. PERT is available in MS Project.
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The Team should copy project plans or schedules produced in the initial planning
of the audit to partner agencies for information, highlighting which sections, requirements
or requests are directly applicable to specific organisations. This will ensure that
not only core team members are fully aware of the range of tasks and tiimescales but
that partners agencies are alerted to the workload and deadlines for submitting data.
This will also set the scenario for the knock-on effect of potential slippage.
The audit timetable/plan should be a standing agenda item on partnership meetings
(e.g. the board) to inform members of progress and of any difficulties which maybe
arising. This will ensure that the Audit is regarded as a priority.
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