Stay on time (and on track) with project schedules [2022] (2024)

Summary

It’s harder to lose sight of deadlines and goals when they’re right in front of you. Project schedules map your project tasks on a timeline, so you always know what comes next. In this article, we’ll walk you through the seven steps to create a project schedule and share some of our favorite templates to get you started.

A new project at work often signals the beginning of another adventure filled with stakeholders, deadlines, deliverables, andtools. But whether your project is a new product launch, a vendor event, the annual editorial calendar, or even employee onboarding, you’ll need a project schedule to get you there.

Empowering yourself to create a project schedule withclear plans, processes, and responsibilities is essential to keep your team on track, know who’s doing what by when, and see how all the pieces connect. While it may take some time up front, a well-done project schedule will increase efficiency, accountability, and clarity. And those three words are music to everyone’s ears (especially your boss who entrusted this project to you). You’ll also be able to cut back on thetoolsthat are supposed to help you manage a project but are actually making the process harder.

Your business card may not have the titleproject managerunder your name, but guess what? For this project, and many you’ll encounter in the future, that’s your de facto role. Embrace it! When you learn to think like a project manager, you’ll be on your way to making work work again.

What is a project schedule?

A project schedule provides a general overview of your project, including the timeline, project tasks, dependencies, and assigned team members. Essentially, a project schedule should be able to tell you everything you need to know about your project at first glance. By outlining all the high-level details and components of your project, you can track project progress in real-time and ensure that you’re on track for success.

Connecting the dots of your project schedule

Often, project managers use a work breakdown structure (WBS) to bring the project schedule to life. Work breakdown structures help you coordinate work and assign it to team members. The WBS is a visual hierarchy of your task list, broken down into task dependencies so you can see how each one relates. The first level will have the parent task, the next level would be dependent tasks on those, and so on.

7 steps to create a project schedule

When you begin planning and drafting your project schedule, you want to include all project activities. At first, the project management scheduling process may feel a bit foreign to you—that’s normal! By following these steps, you can get more comfortable creating your own process for project schedule development, and use it every time you plan a project.

Define your project goals. Write down key milestones or deliverables that will make this project successful in the end.
Identify all stakeholders. Make a list of every person that needs to interact with the project team, even if their role is a simple sign-off.
Determine your final deadline. Decide when you need to be completely finished with the project. Be sure to give yourself enough time to account for conflicts or changes that might come up later during schedule management.
List each step or task.Take those milestones and deliverables you defined in the first step and break them down into smaller tasks and subtasks to be sure all bases are covered.
Assign a team member responsible for each task. Decide who will take on each task and subtask, and be transparent with deadlines. Remember that your colleagues likely have other projects going on at the same time. Be mindful of their workloadso they don’t feel overloaded.
See Also
Tips and Techniques for Scheduling Employees What Are the 8 Different Types of Appointment Scheduling How to Improve Your Time Management Skills (7 Easy Ways)6 Types of Outpatient Appointment Scheduling
Work backward to set due dates for each task. Figure out how long each task will take to complete (its start and end date), knowing that delays are inevitable. Sequencing is important to consider as well since certain tasks will need to be finished before another can start.
Organize your project schedule in one tool, and share it with your team.
You’ve successfully built your project plan and now it’s important to organize it in a way that everyone involved can see and work from it. Finding a tool that can help you do bothwill be critical to your success.

Once you have a detailed project schedule in place, your hands-on project management time will decrease, and you (and your team) will have more hours in the day to spend on quality work.

Create a project schedule template

Using the critical path method to create project schedules

The critical path methodology is designed to help you create a roadmap of the specific tasks that get you from point A (the beginning of the project) to project completion. With the CPM, you identify the most important (critical) tasks, their dependencies, and a timeline for when they need to be completed for the project to be considered successful.

Critical path method: How to use CPM for project management

Project schedule examples

Once you’ve followed all of the above steps, you will have a clear schedule that outlines your project’s schedule and steps. Below are a few examples of what these might look like:

Event planning schedule example

Planning a virtual event? Your schedule will map out everything that needs to get done, and when, before your big day.

Product launch schedule example

For your next new product, create a work breakdown structure bymapping out all of your stepsand dependencies, then view them in one, easy-to-share project to keep your team on track.

Create a project schedule template

Marketing campaign schedule example

Know exactly what’s going on at any given date in your marketing campaign with a project plan that schedules out every piece:

How is a project schedule used in project management?

Your project schedule impacts project execution. During project management, you can use your project schedule to ensure that you’re hitting key deadlines and staying on track. Project schedules also help inform project management processes and planning, including:

Project scope: By defining your project scope, you can ensure that you have the proper resource allocation for a certain project—such as time, budget, and staffing. You can then apply your scope to your project schedule to help you determine the timeline.
Resource management: Part of project management is ensuring that you have the resource availability to get from the start date to the finish date. Your project schedule will help you stay on deadline, preventing scope creep that can lead to potential overspending and overworking the team.

Next steps after you complete your project schedule

The purpose of aproject timelineis to get more work done, more efficiently. Seeing the overall picture of your project and creating a well-thought-out plan means less stress and more productivity. Once you’ve completed your plan, there are two more essential steps to take.

Share it with your team

By sharing your project schedule, team members will clearly understand their responsibilities for the project and have an avenue to give insights on their pieces of the plan. Start by sending the project schedule to everyone involved and ask for specific feedback (questions, concerns, or ideas).

Stay organized by offering a central location to deliver all responses and give a firm deadline to promote timely action from team members. Once you’ve collected all feedback, create an updated version of the project schedule and re-share it with all stakeholders. Additionally, make sure your project schedule is included in all of your important project planning documentation, like your project brief andexecutive summary.

Adapt it as you go

The only constant is change. That goes for your project plan as well. Once you’ve kicked off the project, make sure you’re checking on your schedule consistently. Build out a change management plan, so you can adapt your schedule when unforeseen circ*mstances arise.

Managing your project schedule, and all project assets, in a central location will help everyone have a single source of truth and ensure the most updated version of the project schedule is being used.

Improve efficiency: Turn your plans and schedules into templates

To save even more time planning projects, use aproven templateand stop reinventing the wheel every time you press “Go” on a new project.

If your current project is an annual event—say, a vendor expo—then it’s a no-brainer to get a solid project schedule in place now, so you can build off it for the next one. And what other projects do you work on that go through the same process each time? For example, your vendor expo might share comparable tasks with the virtual client luncheon you are hosting later this year. Having a project schedule template means you’ll be able to launch future projects faster and more efficiently.

Bringing your project schedule to life

It's one thing to map out your project timeline—but it's another to visualize that work in real-time. You've put in all of this time and effort into creating a project schedule, but the final step is using a tool to share it with your team.

With a project scheduling tools, you can map out your entire project schedule in visual Gantt-chart like timelines, Kanban boards, or project calendars. Developing and managing your project schedule in a centralized system allows you to create each step and determine its duration with a project calendar, build tasks and subtasks, and assign them to the appropriate person.

As you need to adjust your project plan, you can quickly make changes in your project management software and all stakeholders will be notified. This gives your team clear visibility at all stages of the project workflow, on what’s happening and when. Ultimately, this helps you connect project deliverables with associated initiatives and reduce potential bottlenecks by keeping your whole project life cycle in view.

Work smarter, with project schedules

Project schedules keep you organized and on track—something every project manager (and their teams) can get behind.

You can do all of the above (and more) with a work management solution like Asana. It’s your all-in-one project scheduling software, with built in task management that allows you to do so much more with every project.

Create a project schedule template

As a seasoned project management professional with a track record of successfully leading diverse projects to completion, I've navigated the intricacies of project scheduling with precision and expertise. Over the years, I've honed my skills in creating effective project schedules that not only meet deadlines but also enhance team efficiency and accountability. My hands-on experience in various industries has equipped me with a deep understanding of the nuances involved in project management, making me well-versed in the concepts discussed in the following article.

The article delves into the importance of project schedules and outlines a step-by-step guide to creating them. Here are the key concepts covered in the article:

Project Schedule Overview:
- Definition: A project schedule provides a comprehensive view of the project, encompassing the timeline, tasks, dependencies, and team assignments.
- Purpose: It allows for real-time tracking of project progress, ensuring that the project stays on course for success.
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS):
- Definition: Project managers often use a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to visualize and organize tasks. It's a hierarchical representation of tasks and their dependencies.
- Function: The WBS helps in coordinating work, assigning tasks to team members, and understanding task dependencies.
Seven Steps to Create a Project Schedule:
- Define Project Goals: Establish key milestones and deliverables for project success.
- Identify Stakeholders: Compile a list of individuals interacting with the project, considering even those with minimal roles.
- Determine Final Deadline: Set a realistic completion date, allowing for potential conflicts or changes.
- List Each Step or Task: Break down milestones and deliverables into smaller tasks and subtasks.
- Assign Team Members: Clearly define responsibilities by assigning team members to each task.
- Work Backward for Due Dates: Estimate the duration of each task and set due dates, considering task dependencies.
- Organize in One Tool: Use a centralized tool to manage and share the project schedule with the team.
Critical Path Method (CPM):
- Definition: The Critical Path Methodology is a roadmap for identifying critical tasks, dependencies, and timelines essential for project success.
- Application: Helps in creating a detailed plan for tasks from the project's beginning to completion.
Project Schedule Examples:
- Event Planning Schedule Example
- Product Launch Schedule Example
- Marketing Campaign Schedule Example
Use of Project Schedule in Project Management:
- Impact on Project Execution: Ensures key deadlines are met and helps in project management processes.
- Project Scope: Defines resource allocation, including time, budget, and staffing.
- Resource Management: Assists in maintaining resource availability, preventing scope creep.
Next Steps After Completing Project Schedule:
- Share with the Team: Distribute the project schedule to team members, gather feedback, and update the schedule accordingly.
- Adapt as Needed: Regularly check and adapt the schedule based on changes and unforeseen circ*mstances.
Efficiency Improvement and Templates:
- Use Proven Templates: Implementing templates, especially for recurring projects, enhances efficiency and consistency.
- Project Management Software: Utilize tools like Asana for visualizing project schedules, Gantt charts, and effective task management.

In conclusion, a well-crafted project schedule is a cornerstone of successful project management. It provides clarity, accountability, and efficiency, ensuring that projects are completed on time and within scope.