Nothing occupies the project planning process quite like setting a deadline, usually with software projects this is a launch. A deadline should be set, otherwise we tend towards listlessness (see Parkinsonās Law) and lack of clarity on ādoneā.
When setting a launch date avoid externally committing to a deadline. Where you must externally commit to a deadline, commit to a conservative one you are likely to hit. Create an ambitious/aggressive internal deadline with the team that you are comfortable with missing1.
Methods of Project Scheduling
- Forward Pass and Backward Pass
- Technical Project Estimation
- Backcasting and Premortems are useful techniques in planning. Remember that positive and negative futures have to add up to 100%. By employing both techniques we can get a realistic picture on how we move forward in planning2.
How to handle a missed deadline
If the deadline was aggressive, punishing or scolding the team is likely to instill a culture of conservatism. Ambition gets punished. Instead, the leader should acknowledge that they understand that the deadline was missed because of how aggressive it was, commend the team for setting an aggressive deadline and indicate that they should continue to do so to maintain an aggressive and ambitious culture.
1. Doshi. Thread on deadlines and team productivity. https://twitter.com/shreyas/status/1745961777257656628 (2024).
2. Duke, A. Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Donāt Have All the Facts. (Portfolio, New York, 2019).