iMedia Genius · R093 Revision Arcade

What Is a Work Plan?

A work plan (or production schedule) sets out what needs to be done, when it will be done, who will do it and what resources are needed. It helps teams stay organised and meet deadlines.

In R093, you must be able to identify and explainrecommend improvements to make a plan more realistic.

Key Components of a Work Plan

Tasks – individual activities that must be completed.
Activities / Phases – grouped tasks (pre-production, production, post-production).
Timescales – start and end dates or durations.
Milestones – key points when major stages are completed.
Deadlines – final dates when products or stages must be delivered.
Resources – people, equipment, software and locations needed.
Responsibilities – who is in charge of each task or stage.
Contingencies – extra time or backup plans in case something goes wrong.

Why Work Plans Matter in the Exam

Short questions may ask you to name a component of a work plan.
Explain questions might ask you why one component is important.
Longer questions can ask you to evaluate a work plan or suggest improvements.

Infographic explaining the core components of a media work plan including tasks, timescales, milestones and resources

Components of Work Plans at a Glance

This infographic helps you remember the key parts of a work plan and how to explain their importance.

Core Components

What every realistic work plan should include.

Tasks: individual actions such as research, design, filming, editing and testing.
Timings: start and end dates, durations and order of tasks.
Milestones: key checkpoints such as “prototype ready” or “client review”.
Resources: people, equipment, locations and software needed for each task.
Dependencies: tasks that must happen before others can start.
Exam link: when asked to improve a plan, check if any of these components are missing or unrealistic.

Tasks · Time · Resources

Realism, Risks & Tracking

How work plans help keep a project on time and on budget.

Realistic timings: tasks long enough to complete but not so long they cause delays.
Risk management: identify potential problems (illness, weather, equipment failure).
Contingency time: spare time added to absorb small delays.
Responsibility: assigning team members to each task.
Tracking progress: ticking off tasks, updating the plan and communicating changes.
Exam tip: suggest specific changes (e.g. add contingency, combine tasks) instead of vague comments.

Realistic · Flexible · Trackable

Tasks, Timescales, Milestones and Deadlines

Work plans usually appear as tables or Gantt charts, showing tasks along a timeline. You should be able to read these and explain how they help manage a project.

Tasks and Activities

Tasks should be clear and specific (e.g. “record voiceover”, not just “audio”).
Tasks can be grouped into phases such as planning, production and review.
Each task should have a clear owner (person responsible).

Timescales and Durations

Each task has a start date and end date or a duration (e.g. 2 days).
Tasks should be ordered logically, taking into account any dependencies (e.g. you can’t film before the script is finished).
Realistic timescales reduce the risk of delays and rushed work.

Milestones and Deadlines

Milestones are key points such as “filming complete” or “first draft finished”.
They help track progress and check the project is on schedule.
Deadlines are final due dates for deliverables (e.g. launch date, client review).

Resources, Responsibilities and Contingencies

A good work plan also makes sure that the right people, equipment and locations are available at the right time, with backup plans if something changes.

Resources

People – designer, camera operator, editor, sound engineer, actors, testers.
Equipment – cameras, microphones, lights, tripods, computers, tablets.
Software – editing software, graphics tools, office software, game engines.
Locations – studio, on-site locations, classrooms, meeting rooms.

Responsibilities

Each task should detail who is responsible for completing it.
This helps avoid confusion and makes it easier to track accountability.
Some tasks may also list who needs to approve the work (e.g. client, project manager).

Contingencies

Contingency time is extra time added to allow for delays or problems.
Backup options could include alternative locations, replacement staff or rescheduling tasks.
Contingencies help keep the project on track even if something goes wrong.

Video Overview

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Watch on YouTube R093 · Components of Work Plans

iMedia Matters Podcast

Flashcards & Mind Maps

Use the NotebookLM for this topic to test yourself on the different components of work plans and how they are used in real media projects.

📘 Open NotebookLM for Components of Work Plans

Topic Slides

Download these slides for an in-depth look at work plans — ideal for revision and exam preparation.

📑 Download Topic Slides (PDF)

Games to Practise Work Plans

These games help you apply your knowledge of tasks, timings and project phases when building or evaluating work plans for different media products.

Pre-production

Pre-Production Race

Build a work plan by placing tasks into pre-production, production and post-production, then add milestones and contingency time to keep the project realistic.

Short answers Work plans Phases

Planning · Sequencing

▶ Play

Pre-production

Work Plan Detective

A staged Mega Game where you analyse work plans, fix timing issues, identify poor sequencing, add contingencies and judge whether a plan is realistic.

Mega game Tasks Timings Milestones

Sequencing · Realism

▶ Play

Pre-production

Document Doctor

Choose the right planning document for each task and identify key components, including where a detailed work plan is needed in the production process.

MCQs Planning docs Components

Knowledge · Application

▶ Play

Pre-production

Mind Map Makeover

Improve weak mind maps so they provide a solid foundation for later documents like work plans, scripts and storyboards.

9 markers Mind maps Improvements

Analysis · Improvement

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9‑mark trainer

9‑Mark Ninja

Build high‑band 9‑mark answers that justify planning decisions, including why work plans, milestones and contingencies are vital in media projects.

9 markers Structure Planning

Extended writing · Justification

▶ Play

9-mark trainer

9-Mark AI Trainer

Write a full 9-mark answer using real R093-style scenarios, then generate an AI marking prompt to get a score and feedback.

9 markers Full answers AI feedback

Extended writing · Feedback

▶ Play

Exam Practice – Components of Work Plans (AI Marker)

Write your answers in the boxes below, then click Build & Copy AI Marking Prompt. Choose an AI tool and paste the prompt to get examiner-style marking and feedback.

Q1. State one component of a work plan. (1 mark)

Technique: Give a single, clear component such as “tasks”, “milestones” or “resources”.

Q2. Explain one reason why contingencies are included in a work plan. (2 marks)

Technique: Make one clear point about what contingencies are, then explain how they help the project if something goes wrong.

Example structure: “Contingencies are… This helps because…”

Q3. Describe how milestones can help the project manager monitor progress during production. (3 marks)

Technique: Refer to specific milestones and explain how they show whether the project is on schedule or behind.

Q4. Explain two ways that unrealistic timescales in a work plan could affect the final media product. (4 marks)

Technique: For each way, describe the issue (e.g. rushed editing) and explain how it impacts quality, deadlines or client satisfaction.

Q5. A college is planning to produce a promotional video for its open evening. Discuss how tasks, timescales, milestones, resources and contingencies should be used within a work plan to ensure the project is completed on time and to a high standard. Provide justified recommendations. (9 marks)

Technique: Organise your answer into paragraphs for different components of the work plan. For each, explain what you would include and why it helps this specific project, then finish with a clear, justified conclusion.

Paragraph 1: Tasks and phases – planning, filming, editing, review, export, distribution.
Paragraph 2: Timescales, milestones and deadlines for key stages.
Paragraph 3: Resources and responsibilities – people, equipment, locations.
Paragraph 4: Contingencies – backup plans and extra time.
Final paragraph: Conclusion – justify which elements are most critical and why.

Level 2 → Level 3 Boost (Q5)

As you type, this will spot what’s missing for top-band answers.

Start typing your answer to see tailored targets.

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Can You Now…?

List key components of a work plan such as tasks, timescales, milestones and resources.
Explain why contingencies, responsibilities and deadlines are important.
Interpret a simple work plan or Gantt chart for a media project.
Use work plan components in exam answers with clear explanation and justification.