Detailed Schedule
Short Tip: A product activity schedule with the main release milestones.
What is it?
It is the chart that shows the activities to be performed to develop the product, including the main release milestones.
The term “detailed” about the schedule should not be confused with a “full, thorough description”. In fact, it is “Detailed” as in the acronym DEEP, from the agile world, also related to “Rolling Wave” in the context of schedules. Thus, the schedule should be detailed for the top-priority items, while using a more macro-level approach for lesser priority items. The goal is to dedicate efforts just to what is necessary at the moment, minimizing impacts and reworking if changes occur over the development.
Why use it?
In predictive initiatives, using a schedule can make planning more accurate. Designing a schedule is relevant to estimate the human and material resources required for building the product.
How to use it?
The schedule should be designed by the Initiative Leader, normally using some digital tool. It consists of the following steps:
- Based on the prepared WBS, list the required activities and resources for each release;
- Identify any interdependencies between activities and the ideal sequence to maximize the value delivered by the product;
- Establish milestones that correspond to your product’s releases;
- Estimate how long each activity will take. This should be done by consulting the Development Team, but also by analyzing any similar products already built;
- Optimize the activities according to the product’s characteristics;
- Organize the information collected from the timeline, which will result in the schedule.