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How can you create a realistic project timeline?

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Creating a realistic project timeline is crucial for any systems design project, as it helps you manage expectations, allocate resources, and track progress. However, estimating how long each task will take and how they depend on each other can be challenging, especially when dealing with uncertainty, complexity, and change. In this article, you will learn some practical tips and techniques to create a realistic project timeline that can adapt to your project needs.

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Pasquale Italiano

Principal Engineer
Aneeque Ahmed, MSc Civil Engg, MIEAust, MMUP-Grade A

Senior Engineer Wet Utilities

1 Define the scope

The first step to create a realistic project timeline is to define the scope of your project, which means identifying the goals, requirements, deliverables, and boundaries of your systems design project. You should also clarify the roles and responsibilities of your team members and stakeholders, and establish the communication and feedback channels. Defining the scope will help you avoid scope creep, which is when the project expands beyond its original expectations, and can cause delays, conflicts, and wasted resources.

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Aneeque Ahmed, MSc Civil Engg, MIEAust, MMUP-Grade A

Senior Engineer Wet Utilities
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Scope definition is the basic step for any project. In this regard, ToRs shall be read thoroughly incase of a design project. Afterwards, studies to be carried out, investigations required and elements to be designed shall be established. In this way, resource allocation can be planned and float can be minimized by carrying out paralle activities.

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2 Break down the work

The next step is to break down the work into smaller and manageable units, such as tasks, subtasks, milestones, and phases. You can use various tools and methods to do this, such as work breakdown structures (WBS), user stories, use cases, or flowcharts. Breaking down the work will help you estimate the duration, effort, and dependencies of each unit, and organize them into a logical sequence. You should also prioritize the work based on its importance, urgency, and value for the project.

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Aneeque Ahmed, MSc Civil Engg, MIEAust, MMUP-Grade A

Senior Engineer Wet Utilities
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Once the studies and investigations to be carried out in any project has been decided based on ToRs and Deliverables, the activities to be done shall be break down using WBS approach. Accordingly, time and resources requirement shall be planned to achieve the timelines & milestones/ deliverables. Breaking down the work help in estimating which experts will be required and when they will be deployed.

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Shahbaz Ahmed Aijaz .

Engineer comp-ops at Sui Southern Gas Company Limited
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Work breakdown structure (WBS) is very important in executing successful projects. A project manager can have full insight on milestones and activities when work is broken into pieces.

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3 Estimate the time

The third step is to estimate the time required for each unit of work, based on your experience, expertise, and historical data. You can use different techniques to do this, such as expert judgment, analogy, parametric, or three-point estimation. Estimating the time will help you set realistic deadlines, allocate resources, and plan contingencies. You should also account for the uncertainty, complexity, and change that may affect your project, and add some buffer time to your estimates to cope with them.

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Shishir Srivastav

Senior Technology Consultant @EY GDS ? Python | AI | Multi Cloud - AWS ? GCP ? Azure ? OCI | Expertise in Generative AI, Automation, Scripting, DevOps, Designing, Troubleshooting
(已编辑)
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While planning ETAs becomes easier as you gain experience, there is also the factor of management pushing you to give an early ETA. To handle that, we should make a detailed plan and set a date for each small portion of it, taking some buffer in each one of them. Now, try to finish a few of those smaller tasks early if possible, that saved time will give to some time to additional time to breathe or focus on other tasks before the deadline of your whole project and you won't have to fumble in your SRUM calls any longer as well.

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4 Create the schedule

The fourth step is to create the schedule, which is a visual representation of your project timeline, showing the start and end dates, durations, dependencies, and milestones of each unit of work. You can use various tools and software to do this, such as Gantt charts, network diagrams, or agile boards. Creating the schedule will help you communicate your project timeline to your team members and stakeholders, and monitor and control your project progress.

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5 Review and validate

The fifth step is to review and validate your project timeline, which means checking if it is realistic, feasible, and aligned with your project scope, goals, and expectations. You should also involve your team members and stakeholders in this process, and solicit their feedback and input. Reviewing and validating your project timeline will help you identify and resolve any issues, gaps, or risks that may affect your project, and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

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6 Update and adjust

The final step is to update and adjust your project timeline, which means tracking the actual performance of your project against your planned schedule, and making any necessary changes to reflect the reality of your project. You should also report the status of your project to your team members and stakeholders, and inform them of any changes or deviations from your original timeline. Updating and adjusting your project timeline will help you cope with any changes, challenges, or opportunities that may arise during your project, and keep your project on track and on time.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Pasquale Italiano

Principal Engineer
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Unless you have a proven deep knowledge and experience of a very similar past project, you must collaborate with stakeholders and subject matter expert to collect as much information you can about the general timeline for each of the macro tasks you identified, then validate your breakdown, and explore with them the unknown opportunities and the associated risks. Expect more than one cycle, and for each spiral engage with different experts.

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Manasseh Gikonyo

Electrical Engineering Student | EV Enthuasist | PCB designer | IEEE DEKUT Webmaster | Arduino | IEEE Member & PES DAY 24 Ambassador | Software Engineering Learner at Power Learn Project
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In addition determining tasks that are essential for the project's success can be of great help. These are often referred to as critical path tasks. Critical tasks directly impact the project timeline, and any delays in these tasks will extend the overall project duration.

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How can you create a realistic project timeline?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Define the scope

2 Break down the work

3 Estimate the time

4 Create the schedule

5 Review and validate

6 Update and adjust

7 Here’s what else to consider

Systems Design

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How can you create a realistic project timeline?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Define the scope

2 Break down the work

3 Estimate the time

4 Create the schedule

5 Review and validate

6 Update and adjust

7 Here’s what else to consider

Systems Design

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感谢您的反馈

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