Overview

In today's corporate world, all projects seem to have a deadline of yesterday. The reality is that timelines and schedules must be flexible and realistic to be accomplished. Assigning a project manager (PMO certified if possible) to manage the project is recommended. They will act as the quarterback coordinating milestones, tasks (SMART) and schedules - keeping your digital workplace project plan on track. It is also recommended to be conservative in your timeline and launch estimates. 

Recommendations

Consider the following to create a timeline and schedule for your digital workplace project: 

• Will the digital workplace be launched at once or in phases?
• What are your corporate-defined timelines?
• Do you have any pending corporate events that may affect the timeline?
• Have you worked in sick days, vacation days, statutory holidays, etc.?
• Have you considered the accessibility of the people working on this project?
• Do you have control over resources?  Are you competing with anyone for access to those resources?
• What are the risk factors involved and have you set aside enough time to deal with these risks - and with unexpected risks?
• What is your contingency plan should the project fail to meet its deadline?

Key deliverables and tasks 

As you put together a timeline and schedule your digital workplace project, be sure to think about creating both strategic and tactical plans throughout the project lifecycle. 

Celebrate your successes

Don't forget that if this is your first time launching a digital workplace solution, there will be many unknowns, hurdles, and roadblocks throughout the journey. It can be stressful and at times overwhelming, so make a point t to celebrate accomplishing key milestones to keep your digital workplace team engaged and motivated.