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Computerworld - Deadline anxiety has long been with us, since well before your project team got up and running. In fact, the word deadline once indicated the boundary of a military prison, and to step over the deadline was to tempt gunfire. Modern office workers may not be aware of this etymology, but many nonetheless fear that they could be symbolically shot if they miss their deadlines.
Companies have a tendency to focus on deadlines as a project barometer. Insisting that things remain on schedule works to a point, but it can impede good judgment. The effect of this single-mindedness is an environment in which people don't talk about problems. As the project develops, falsely optimistic reports are provided to leadership, even though the project might be racing toward an unachievable deadline. As a result, no contingency plans are created, and sponsors' choices are reduced because there was no early warning. Shortcuts are applied, leading to sacrifices in quality, cost and user acceptability.
To avoid the need for such compromises, project sponsors must create an environment where assumptions can be questioned, bad news is permissible and alternative ideas are encouraged. And deadlines needn't be the lethal border that was sketched in your project plan. There are a number of indicators to suggest when a deadline should be crossed.
When there's too much to lose. Don't allow clear business benefits of a completed project to be eclipsed by a deadline. As you evaluate the project, determine if the original business benefit -- in either functionality or cost savings -- could be achieved if the deadline were changed. Usually, reducing the scope of a project in order to make the deadline will negatively affect the character of what will be delivered. To evaluate the chances of this, ask yourself the following:

• Can we segment the release to deliver against the full business case?


• Would the proposed scope reduction dilute the business benefit?


• Did we back into this date rather than plan for it?

If you answer yes to any of those questions, redrawing the deadline may be a viable option for the project's ultimate success, and yours. Deadlines are frequently decided on the basis of return-on-investment expectations and cost factors by people who aren't responsible for project estimates or delivery.
When there's too much at risk. Don't allow deadline pressures to put the good work that's under way at risk by taking shortcuts in critical areas, such as testing, user acceptance or training. Reduced testing often results in problems being moved rather than fixed, and limited training will upset user confidence and acceptance, which ends with a failure to meet the business case. Ask yourself the following questions:

• While on time and on budget is good, is the cost of these shortcuts known -- and too high?
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