Web Extra: Cloud Service Provider Gantt Chart

Gantt charts can help organize the process of choosing a hospital or health system cloud service provider, including the interviewing process. A Gantt chart is a series of horizontal bar charts developed as a production control tool in 1917 by Henry Gantt. Used in project management a Gantt chart provides a graphical illustration of a schedule that helps to plan, coordinate, and track specific project tasks.

In this version of a Gantt chart, the timeline is removed and replaced with the cloud service providers being researched. Instead of tasks, a list of “must haves” are included that the service providers must provide. The list also ensures that the same questions and criteria are used to evaluate each service provider.  Note that before hiring, it is wise to ask the service provider to offer examples of all the “must haves” to ensure that service providers have the proper tools to fulfill requirements.  

Source: Louise Tokman, MBA, MS, LSSBB, CRCR, Sisters of Providence Health System, Springfield, Mass.