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How Do You Handle Projects With Predetermined End-dates (Timeboxing)?
Monday, 25 September 2017 13:34
How Do You Handle Projects With Predetermined End-dates (Timeboxing)? Written by Tom Mochal font size Like 0
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This content is from the TenStep weekly "tips" email dated 2017.20.09
How Do You Handle Projects With Predetermined End-dates (Timeboxing)? In a perfect world, your project schedule and completion dates would be derived based on the amount of work to be done and the number of resources available. As you know, that is not always the case. Sometimes when the project is assigned, it already has a targeted end date. For instance, the end-date may be determined by a government regulation, a scheduled event or to coincide with another company initiative. This situation is referred to as a "timebox", meaning you have a fixed amount of time to get the work done and the end-date is “boxed” in. There is nothing wrong with having a fixed end-date. It can give everyone on the team a sense of urgency and focus. There may be a problem, however, if the project manager and team do not think they can get the work done
Communication communications communications deliverables deliverables
by the deadline. In that case, the project manager needs to raise this as a risk. Potential risk plan actions include:
ICPM improvement improvement information
Leadership Management Assigning more resources to the project. Too many resources may have diminished value but this is usually the first place to start.
management
organization
organizational organizations
Having the team work overtime, with the understanding that overtime itself has a diminishing return, and that long-term overtime can actually have a negative effect.
performance pmi pmo pmp productivity
Working with the stakeholders to scale back the scope. This may include removing entire deliverables or functionality from required deliverables.
Project management
Determining whether some required deliverables and features can be delivered later than the due date. For example, a 90% solution may be viable at the due date, with the additional work completed soon after.
Project Manager
Important - Estimate the Amount of Schedule Risk
relationships
requirements responsibility
Even if your manager or sponsor has given you a fixed end-date, it is important to carefully build the schedule first
stakeholders
understanding understanding
as if you did not have the fixed end-date. If you do this first, it will give you a sense for how realistic it is to hit the fixed date. For example, let’s say you have a project that has to be completed in nine months. If you first create a “normal” schedule that shows the project will be complete in 9 ½ months, it would not be too much of a stretch to think you could complete the work in nine months. However, if you create a “normal” schedule and it shows the end date at 13 months, you will understand the difficulty and the risk associated with trying to get all of the work completed in the nine-month timebox. This does not mean that you will not have the nine month deadline. However, it gives you more information to have a fact-based discussion on the project risks and options that are available to you. At TenStep we are dedicated to helping organizations achieve their goals and strategies through the successful execution of critical business projects. We provide training, consulting and products for organizations to help them set up an environment where projects are successful. This includes help with strategic planning, portfolio management, program / project management, Project Management Offices (PMOs) and project lifecycles. For more information, visit www.TenStep.com or contact us at
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