Project management is a diverse field that encompasses a multitude of methodologies in different topics and industries. Project managers use diverse tools and processes to complete their tasks, many of which are specific to a single company or product.
Project timeline is an element that appears in every project despite the limitless variety of project management techniques. Accordingly, project timeline samples provide an account of schedules and activities that are spread through the entire project duration. A project timeline sample captures the essence of what the project will accomplish and how it will be done indicating that is essential for project managers to develop a project timeline in the early stages of the undertaking. In essence, project managers who build a comprehensive project timeline are likely to achieve success in project implementation.
Project Timeline for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Community Conservation Partnership Program grant project.
The timeline tracks the major milestones of the project and is reviewed by the project applicants and used by grantees to make them aware of the process and typical timeline for completing the DCNR grant project.
- Contracting (3-4 Months)
- It involves the presentation of Grant Award Notification letter to elected officials. It provides information concerning the grant name, grant manager, award amount, and start and end dates.
- Conducting pre-contracting telephone calls with the local project coordinator and other project stakeholders.
- Process grant agreement.
- Project Startup (4-5 Months)
- Application review and issuance of DCNR comment letter to the project coordinator at the local level.
- Conducting initial conference call with the design consultants and local project coordinators.
- Provision of designs through drawings and specifications from the design consultants.
- DCNR design submission review and approval (5-7 months)
The process involves advertising for bids by the grantee. Main components of this section entail:
- Advertising and conducting the bidding process.
- Awarding of construction and materials contracts.
- DCNR Approval of Project Construction and Cost (8-12 Months)
- It will require seeking approval for the projected cost of the entire project. The cost projection should have a breakdown structure for all expenses and allocation of funds for each activity and project milestone.
- Construction completion and inspection of the DNCR final site (2 months)
- Inspection should involve regional advisors and other stakeholders whose input is significant in the project completion.
- Project closeout and process final payment (4-6 Months)
- Documents the entire project completion aspects and lays down specifics leading to its completion.
- Provisional project evaluation (6 months)
- It will involve a review of the project deliverables against the achieved project milestones as well as people’s roles and responsibilities.
- Long-term Project Evaluation (3 years)
The evaluation process will continue as a work-in progress to ensure effective control and monitoring of the project’s ability to achieve its intended objectives. The project is intended to accrue benefits within three years, which explains the need for a three-year evaluation period.
References:
Burke, R. (2013). Project management: planning and control techniques. New Jersey, USA.
Dinsmore, P. C., & Cabanis-Brewin, J. (Eds.). (2006). The AMA handbook of project management. AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn.
Fleming, Q. W., & Koppelman, J. M. (2016, December). Earned value project management. Project Management Institute.
Kerzner, H. (2013). Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Meredith, J. R., & Mantel Jr, S. J. (2011). Project management: a managerial approach. John Wiley & Sons.
Sample Estimated Project Timeline (Development). (2015). Retrieved from http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_009416.pdf
Wysocki, R. K. (2011). Effective project management: traditional, agile, extreme. John Wiley & Sons.