Project Timeline
“The project timeline is the beating heart of every project.”
With my project goals and deliverables defined, as well as my research has begun, it is time to lay down the project timeline. A timeline is essential to every project in order to ensure that it stays on task, increases efficiency, and sets a clear direction, as well as defines priorities. Project management is an important step in the process of creating long and involved projects. If you take the time in the beginning to define every piece of work and when it is due, you won’t be caught off guard by the amount of work or stuck with being overwhelmed when the deadline approaches. These project management skills are even more important when working in teams so that everyone knows what they need to do and what is expected of them. With my project, Counting Cake, I elaborate a bit more on what every asset will be and what work is required each week. I set up my timeline to help improve my management of the project and to hold myself accountable for the work I need to get done.
“Despite the almost limitless variety in project management techniques, there is at least one element that appears in every project, at every company, and in every industry: the project timeline.”
About My Timeline
I broke my timeline down into what I wanted to have done each week. The date is when I want to have the following assets completed. I created a weekly task that I then categorized each individual task under. I found this easiest for me so that I can keep track of what the entirety of items is that I need to do each week. Having a main task and subtasks allows me to maintain organization with a priority on the due date.
Project Timeline:
11/7
Research Target Audience
Update Bibliography
Progress Blog Post
11/14
Research Branding Practices
Research Other Healthy Dessert Blogs
Update Bibliography
Define Target Audience & Personas
Create Mood Board
Define Brand Personality
Progress Blog Post
11/21
Research Colors and Fonts
Update Bibliography
10-20 Logo Sketches
Define Color Palette
Define Fonts
Experiment with Patterns
Progress Blog Post
11/28
Continue Branding Research
Update Bibliography
Finalize Logos, Colors & Fonts
Create Brand Board
Progress Blog Post
12/5
Research Healthy Blogs and Recipes
Update Bibliography
Create Content Calendar for Blog
Write Blog Drafts
Progress Blog Post
12/12
Research Food Photography
Update Bibliography
Design Blog Posts
Create Photographs
Progress Blog Post
12/18
Finalize Blog Content
Finalize Bibliography
Final Blog Post
Timeline Organization
To create this timeline, I first broke down my project into two separate main tasks, the first being the branding side of Counting Cake. It is necessary to have the branding flushed out before jumping into blog posts. By focusing on the branding first, I am able to have a clear and defined direction to move it when it comes time to create blog post content. Once I defined the two subprojects, I created subtasks in each that would be required for the project. I defined each piece of what would be required each week, from research to the actual deliverables. This helps me know exactly how much time I will need to spend on the project each week, as well as helps me not forget the little things. According to my current timeline, I am planning to have the branding part of the project done by 11/28, which leaves me an equal amount of time to complete the blog content part of my project by 12/18. I am aiming for making most of the work finished before the last week, just so there is the flexibility that if something came up, I wouldn’t be cramped for time in the end. I am saving my last week for reviewing and finalizing all of my work, giving me time to create a completed and polished product.
To make this timeline easier to manage, I used Asana, a professional project management site, to help me organize it all. I chose to use Asana because I have used it before for both personal projects as well as company projects in my internship experience. I find Asana works really well for organizational purposes and I like that you can view your tasks in different ways, from a list to a board, and in a calendar. Like Asana, there are many other project management programs out there, such as Trello, Basecamp, or Workfront, and it is important to find the one that works best for you.
Understanding project management and its importance in work is a necessary skill to learn and carry with you. It holds everyone involved accountable and creates a reliable and steady project pace. This is true for personal projects, such as this one, but even more so in teams. There is no better place to begin a project than with a timeline.
Sources:
Bunner, Angela. “Project Timelines: Why They're so Important.” Clarizen, 16 Feb. 2021, https://www.clarizen.com/project-timelines-why-theyre-so-important/.
Dillow, Meghan. “The Importance of a Timeline in a Web Project.” The Importance of a Timeline in a Web Project, https://www.revenueriver.co/thecuttingedge/importance-of-a-timeline-in-a-web-project.