Getting it done on time: How to set realistic deadlines

The importance of realistic deadlines

Setting realistic deadlines can have a big impact on the success of a project and team morale. A couple of advantages of setting realistic deadlines include the following.

1. Increased productivity

Unrealistic deadlines can have a serious impact on the productivity of a team. When deadlines are set too far in advance, it can lead to procrastination and lack of motivation, as the team may not feel a sense of urgency. This can create a cycle of missed deadlines, which can lead to a decrease in team productivity.

Also keep in mind that work tends to expand to fill the time available for its completion. This is also referred to as Parkinson's Law. Therefore, setting realistic deadlines is crucial to avoid the negative effects of Parkinson's Law and keep team productivity high.

2. Improved team morale

When deadlines are regularly missed, it can lead to a decrease in team morale and motivation. Setting realistic deadlines helps maintain team morale by providing a sense of accomplishment when tasks are completed on time.

3. Improved communication

When deadlines are realistic, it encourages people to communicate and collaborate more effectively with one another. By ensuring that everyone is on the same page and working together, it reduces misunderstandings and improves communication overall.

4. Improved stakeholder expectation management

Realistic deadlines help manage expectations with stakeholders. Rather than overpromising and underdelivering, it’s better to set realistic expectations from the beginning and deliver on time. Stakeholders will appreciate it, and you’ll have more successful projects in the long-run.

How to: Set realistic deadlines

When setting deadlines, it is important to take into account the scope of the project and any external factors that may affect progress. Below you'll find some tips for setting realistic deadlines.

1. Understanding your team's capabilities

The first step to setting realistic deadlines is understanding your team’s abilities. Do a thorough assessment of their skills, experience levels, and workload to get a better sense of what they can realistically accomplish in the given time frame.

2. Consider the scope and complexity

In order to determine the right amount of time for completing a task, it is important to consider the scope and complexity of the project. Take into account the extent of research and data analysis required, as well as any other factors that could affect the timeline.

3. Evaluate team capacity

It is important to consider the capacity and availability of the team when determining the timeline. This will help ensure that all resources are used efficiently, and any potential bottlenecks are avoided. It’s also important to take into account any additional tasks, duties or other commitments that may prevent them from dedicating 100% of their time to the project.

4. Consider assignee experience

Take into account the experience of the assignee when determining the timeline. A more experienced person may be able to complete a task faster than someone else who is less familiar with it. The skill set per employee can also vary, so it is important to consider the individual's strengths and weaknesses.

5. Estimate future challenges

It is important to consider potential obstacles which might arise during the course of a project. Estimating future challenges can help you determine how long it will take to complete a task in its entirety.

6. Break the project into smaller tasks

Breaking the project down into manageable chunks makes it easier to estimate the amount of time required for each task. This also allows for better planning and more accurate estimates of how long a project will take to complete.

7. Prioritize tasks

Prioritizing different tasks can help ensure that tasks with a shorter deadline or those that require more attention are completed first. This will help to avoid any unnecessary delays.

8. Set milestones

It can be helpful to set milestones along the way to keep track of progress and ensure that tasks are completed in a timely manner

9. Monitor progress

Regularly monitoring progress helps to identify any issues which might be slowing down the completion of tasks or projects. This can help ensure that deadlines are met, while avoiding the effects of Parkinson’s Law.

10. Allow for flexibility

When estimating timelines, it is important to allow for some flexibility. This helps to account for any unexpected delays that may arise during the process.

11. Analyze feedback

Feedback from team members, customers and stakeholders can provide valuable insights into how long a project is likely to take and help ensure that tasks are completed within the given timeline.

12. Re-evaluate and adjust

Finally, it is important to re-evaluate and adjust timelines as needed throughout the course of a project in order to ensure that tasks are completed on time.

13. Celebrate achievements and lessons learned

It is also important to celebrate the achievements of your team and recognize the lessons learned along the way. This will help to motivate them and ensure that they are more likely to meet deadlines in the future. Celebrating achievements can also help to foster a strong sense of collaboration and teamwork, which will help ensure that projects are completed in an efficient and timely manner.

Things to take-away

• Setting realistic deadlines helps teams complete projects on time and prevents unnecessary delays.
• It is important to consider the scope, complexity and capacity of a project, as well as assignee experience, potential future challenges and task prioritization when determining timelines.
• Establishing milestones and monitoring progress can help keep tasks on track, while allowing for some flexibility and analyzing feedback can help ensure tasks are completed within the given timeline.
• Finally, it is important to celebrate team achievements and lessons learned, as this will help motivate them to meet future deadlines.