41+ Sample Project Timelines
What Is a Project Timeline?
A project timeline is a document that states the time frame for all the tasks on a project. It can be a chart or a presentation about your schedule for specific tasks. Without an overall timeline, you cannot give the right expectations to clients when you are going to finish a project since this document has an overview of your deliverables. The document has a high-level format that can ensure that you can give proper attention to every task. It gives a quick overview to the stakeholders and team members. You can picture a roadmap through the project timeline. It includes milestones and you can be sure that individual tasks can be completed.
Use a project timeline tool so that you can make your work easier. Not only can you work better, but you will also have more advanced work. You can also consider a project timeline online. It is the more innovative way of doing a project timeline. There can be many templates on the internet that can guide you. One example is the Microsoft project timeline. So, you know that you have many choices to make your work better.
Types of Project Timelines
Are you wondering about the kinds of project management? Do you want to know its varieties so that you can create the perfect timeline for your project? Well, we can discuss with you some of the types of project timelines. They are the following:
Vertical Chart Timeline: A vertical chart timeline is the best for projects with data. This is common in finance and marketing projects where you have to track leads. It determines some gain within a particular time frame. For example, you will know how much traffic a website can generate each month. Or you will know the recurring revenue of your business.Historical Timeline: In the historical timeline, you should lay out the tasks on a project in chronological order. You can do it left to right or top to bottom. You can mark key dates for specific times. This is how you can structure this.Gantt Timeline: A Gantt timeline is a popular kind of project timeline that gives a fast snapshot of a project. You should give an end date for the task together with key milestones. There can be dependencies that you should consider. You should be definite about who you are going to assign the tasks. Gantt timelines are interactive. They can be updated and edited anytime. They are handy and up-to-date.Chronology Type Timeline: This is a timeline done in chronological fashion. The tasks for the project have a start-to-finish relationship. It depicts the events and shows that they do not have harmony with one another.Bar Chart: A bar chart is common in the financial sector or where you need a single output. The horizontal axis reveals the time progress while the vertical axis reveals the resources. Through this timeline, you can know the trend in your industry. It is the best approach when you want to make changes.
Benefits of a Project Timeline
Have you seen a simple project timeline template? Have you been wondering what it is for? Maybe you want to know its benefits and the things that it can do for you. Well, we can show you some of the benefits of a project timeline. Read and consider the following benefits:
Easy to Make Changes: A project timeline is pretty much advisable. If you think that there can be a better time frame for your project, you can easily adjust your work schedule. Through the project timeline, you can conform to the requests of your clients if they want a faster timeline for your project. You can easily make changes to the timeline and let your team members know about the changes. Nothing will be affected much by the change. The project timeline has the flexibility that you can change it when you have changes in preferences. It is the best systematic approach to giving the right schedule for all your tasks.Prevents Bottlenecks: You can discover all dependencies that can delay the project. This way, you can prevent every bottleneck that can come your way. When you have a schedule for a project, you should ensure that you can follow it. This can only be possible if you have a timeline that can ascertain that you can work well on the project. You can be sure that you will not be frustrated with your work. You can work on all your tasks on time. You can adhere to your schedule because you have a timeline that can guide you.Progress Tracking: You can track what happens in your project through the project timeline. You can know the things that have happened in your project and when did they happen. You will know the hierarchy of tasks that you have finished. You can have good project management. It will be easier for you to track your progress. Through the project timeline, you will know if you have been finishing your tasks on time. You will know if you have been doing well on your project. If you have been adhering to your deadlines, then you can know that you are doing well on your project. You may be able to submit the deliverables on time. It only means that you are achieving your purpose and you are near your goals.Keeps Everyone in the Loop: You can be sure that all can work well with a project timeline. All can work at their best. Everyone can follow a good schedule to finish all their tasks. If you want all your team members to diligently work on your project, give them a project timeline that can guide them. It can make them submit the best deliverables on time. You can be assured that everyone will be in the loop working on the project. Everyone can be apt and adept at finishing the project. You can ascertain that all tasks can be done within the preferred deadlines.Following the Same Goal: By having a project timeline, you will know that all can work together in unity. You are going to work together following a common schedule. Because of this, all will have the same goals. All will strive to work together to achieve a common goal. As this happens, your company can be assured that you can accomplish your goals. It is because everyone can work well as everyone will work together. No one will be left doing nothing for the job. All will work together for the success of your company.Gives a Clear Path: You can have a clear path on how to do the project through a project timeline. It can be the best work strategy so that you will know all the steps that you have to take. You can be guided in all your tasks. You can know what to do every step of the way. There can be a smooth workflow for your project. Thus, you can ensure great productivity. When this happens, you can be sure that you can follow the timeline. Thus, you will have perfect work.
Tips on Project Timeline
Are you looking for a project timeline example? Do you need it because you want to have tips that you can use for a project timeline? If you are looking for tips, we can help you. We can provide you with some tips that you can use. Have the following tips:
Have a Project Scope Statement: You may need a project scope statement for the project timeline. This is the scope of work that you have to finish. This is needed so that you will know the amount of work that you have to accomplish. Hand in hand with the project timeline, you can be sure that you can provide the best deliverables.Have Risk Assessment: You should make a risk assessment when you are making a project timeline. This can make you avoid any obstacles and risks that may come your way. You can find solutions to any problems that you may be facing. A risk assessment can help you to have a smoother flow of work for the project because you may be able to eliminate all risks that you can encounter.Estimate Tasks: Estimation of tasks may be needed as you create a project timeline. You should be able to separate difficult tasks from easy tasks. Know how to prioritize tasks. For example, if you have a milestone that requires more tasks because of design and analysis, you should give more time frames for it. So, you must be able to estimate every task to have the perfect timeline for the project.Split the Project into Milestones: You should have various milestones for the project. Through this, you will have definite schedules for all your tasks. By splitting the project into milestones, you can be able to achieve many things. You can finish all your tasks one by one, having great results.
How to Create a Project Timeline
Do you need a project timeline template? Are you about to create a project timeline? Maybe you need some steps that you can use in creating. Well, we can give you some steps. They are the following:
1. Know the Scope of the Project
The first thing that you should do is to know your project scope of work. By knowing your scope, you can set the right timeline for your project, thereby allowing you to track your tasks, responsibilities, and items from start to finish. This will also save you from unrealistic expectations, delays, late submissions, and project failures in the long run.
2. Have Key Milestones
Next is to create key milestones for your project. Milestones can help you organize good tasking for your project, resulting in excellent outputs and deliverables for your clients.
3. Assign Schedules and Deadlines
Lastly, be sure to assign schedules and deadlines for your project. It is preferable to allot a good amount of time for each task to provide leeway for your members to correct any problems, issues, or errors that may occur during the project period. And with that, you are ensured of a successful project.
FAQs
Why is a project timeline necessary?
A project timeline is a necessary tool for managing your projects and for plotting your tasks and schedules so that you may achieve your goals within the given period.
Should I use project timeline software?
Yes, project timeline software is an excellent tool for managing your project timelines, allowing you to complete your tasks with great convenience and in no time.
Why does a project timeline fail?
There can be reasons why a project timeline may fail. Maybe you do not have leadership support. Maybe you are unaware of budget cuts. Maybe you have not thought so much about the outcome. Or you may have project management that is not good. Do you know that research says that only 55% of projects are completed on time? Having this said, you should be more strict in implementing your project timeline. Make it good so that every team member can be able to follow it. A good project timeline can make you give the best deliverables. So, you have to give a good focus on how to make it great.
What are needed to make a project timeline?
The project timeline has dependencies that make the delivery dates important. It can work well with a theme that can assure that your project will follow your company’s guidelines. It has some elements that contain the content plan. To prevent bottlenecks, a structured timeline is needed. Doing a project timeline involves Google Docs and some formatting skills. It can help you to assign tasks to every team member. You should have higher priorities to ensure that deadlines can be met. You need to track your progress as you go to your assigned schedule. You should not let your deadlines pass. So, you have to stick to the project timeline.
If you want to have a good workflow on your project, you have to create a project timeline that can guide your team to finish your work better. You can have proper time for all your tasks and you can submit great deliverables at the right time. Well, do you need a template for a project timeline? This post has 41+ SAMPLE Project Timelines in PDF | MS Word. If you want to create the best timeline, make use of these templates. Download now!
