I can’t even count the number of times project stakeholders have asked me to create a schedule when the scope isn’t even defined. There are barely any requirements on paper and they want a schedule. “I can create a schedule for your with random dates”, I tell them, “But everything will change when you guys figure it out anyway!”
A schedule is based upon estimates from developers, testers, writers, designers all analyzing the requirements and determining what it’s going to take to make it happen.
When things go right, I can review the project scope document, get a high level estimate from my team – perhaps even provide an optimistic and pessimistic version as well. As we go through the project exercises, we can refine our estimates and iterate on the high-level schedule we initially created.
As a PMP, I’m sad to say that I do not do a WBS – this would be most excellent and helpful. But oddly enough, there is a lot of resistance on the project team to doing this sort of exercise. Sometimes developers want to be very vague about the work they need to do. There is a balance between digging too deeply into their realm and not digging deep enough. You have to know your team.
So folks, if someone asks for a schedule, it’s okay to push back if you don’t have all the information you need. Don’t stress out and create craziness in MS Project. Tell your team what you need to do your job. At the most basic level, you need a list of requirements to provide a high-level milestone list. If they want more, they’ll have to give you more.
