[Deep Dive] Delivery Time: The Real Reasons Your Projects Never Finish on Time
Did you know that according to industry studies, only 30% of projects are delivered on time?
In project management, if you think you’re just dealing with task lists and deadlines, you’ve missed a few critical things. The equation for calculating the actual delivery time of any project is more multifaceted than most people realise. We’re going to peel back the layers of project management and dive into the messy reality behind those deceptively simple delivery time estimates.
The Full Equation of Project Delivery Time: A Deeper Dive
I came across this great formula from Sonya Siderova on LinkedIn which breaks everythign down nicely:
Delivery Time = Effort Time + Backlog Time + WIP Coordination Time + New Work Coming In Between Time + Bottleneck Time + Blockers Time + Defects Time
You don’t just add up the ’effort’ hours; this equation demands we consider the full spectrum of factors impacting project timelines. Each element is a universe unto itself:
1. Understanding Effort Time
Effort Time is the direct labor—the actual hours your team spends working on project tasks, which seems straightforward. Yet, common pitfalls include overestimating productivity and failing to account for interruptions, both of which can significantly extend this time. This could include planning, design, development, QA, etc.
Common Pitfalls: Overestimating productivity, unforeseen interruptions. Strategies for Accuracy: Practical tips for more accurate time estimations.
2. Navigating Backlog Challenges
Backlog Time is your project’s purgatory where tasks sit gathering dust, waiting for their turn. The longer they linger, the more likely priorities will shift—or, worse, they become irrelevant. Managing the backlog isn’t just keeping a list; it’s about strategic foresight and sometimes tough decisions on what gets done, when, and what might never happen.
3. Coordinating ‘Work in Progress’
Managing the Moving Parts - This is a bit like ‘herding cats’. This involves the ongoing management of tasks currently in progress. It includes aligning team efforts, synchronising schedules, and ensuring that all parts of the project are moving forward together without internal conflicts or resource shortages.
4. Integrating New Tasks
New requirements or tasks can arise unexpectedly, requiring integration into the existing project plan. This time is about adjusting the project scope and timelines to accommodate new inputs without derailing the ongoing work.
5. Overcoming Bottlenecks
Bottlenecks occur when a particular aspect of the project slows down or stops the progression of other tasks. Identifying and resolving bottlenecks quickly is essential to prevent them from affecting the broader project timeline. Identifying and evaluating your dependencies can help with reducing the impact here.
6. Addressing Critical Stoppers
Blockers Time refers to severe issues that halt project progress entirely. They require immediate resolution to resume work. Handling blockers effectively involves quick problem-solving and sometimes strategic changes to the project plan. Often you’ll need to get all the stakeholders together to run through your options to proceed.
7. Quality Control and Corrections
Defects Time involves identifying and fixing defects in the work produced.
The time spent here can vary significantly based on the project’s complexity and the quality of the outputs.
Effective quality assurance processes are crucial to minimise this time and ensure project standards are met.
Why This Matters More Than You Think
Understanding and planning for each of these time factors isn’t just good practice—it’s essential.
Clients and stakeholders want faster, cheaper, and better projects delivered yesterday. To meet these impossible demands, you can’t afford to be naive about what really goes into meeting a deadline. Each component can significantly influence the overall delivery time, and their cumulative effect can make or break the success of your project.
Conclusion: Embrace the Complexity
Simplistic project management tools that promise the moon might sell subscriptions, but they don’t deliver results. Project management isn’t always going to be simple.
Embrace the chaos. Plan for complexity.
Armed with a thorough understanding of these key factors, you can more accurately plan and execute your projects. It’s about proactively managing your resources and expectations to ensure that every project is delivered efficiently and effectively - avoiding delays.
Ready to take control of your project timelines? Let’s do this.
