Setting Realistic Timelines for Tech Innovation Projects

"For the last year, we've been three months away from launch." Does this describe your startup vision? 🧭 Set an unachievable goal, and then just keep chasing it? 🏃🏻 Don't start your hardware project with the assumption that you'll be ready to launch in three months. It can take 3 months to build and validate a set of tools, and 3-6 months to build and validate an assembly line, including certification and quality testing. You'll waste a year (or more) trying to reach an unrealistic deadline, constantly pressuring vendors, partners, and investors. This urgent mindset is a recipe for: 💸 Unnecessary expedite fees 💰 Cost overruns 📆 Schedule delays 🔥 Hair-on-fire decision making ⏲️ Mistakes 😤 Frustrated investors Hardware engineering is hard. It's not as easy to deploy as software. Changes are expensive. Ask me how I know. Good things take time. My friend Josh Taylor says "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast" Set realistic expectations and plan for enough time to do each step correctly Then, find ways to accelerate from that date. A week here, a week there can make a big difference. Let me help you set a realistic expectation for your hardware project. Below, I've attached a mockup schedule of a typical electromechanical device startup, after the early POC (proof-of-concept) work is completed. This timing really depends on complexity and size of molds, but in my experience, it's pretty typical for consumer electronics, built and assembled in Asia. If you want to know more about manufacturing in Asia, you should reach out to: Josh Taylor Connor Bush 🔋🖥📟 Keesjan (Case) Engelen Jonathan Ross

Estimating Project Timelines as a Product Manager: Art or Science? One of the trickiest parts of being a Product Manager is answering that question: "When will this be done?" Sound familiar? If you’ve been in the room when stakeholders eagerly await your timeline, you know the pressure of getting it right. But estimating timelines isn’t just about guessing or over-promising—it’s about balancing precision, collaboration, and transparency. After 5+ years of leading cross-functional teams in financial services, e-commerce, and tech, here are the 5 proven methods I’ve relied on to confidently estimate timelines—and get buy-in: 1️⃣ Break It Down with User Stories: Big tasks are scary; small tasks are manageable. Work with your team to break down epics into bite-sized user stories. Use techniques like planning poker to encourage discussion and uncover hidden complexities. 2️⃣ Leverage Historical Data: Past projects are a goldmine! Analyze velocity, cycle times, and bottlenecks from previous sprints. If a similar feature took 3 sprints before, that’s your baseline. 3️⃣ Collaborate on Assumptions: Estimations shouldn’t happen in isolation. Include engineers, designers, and stakeholders early. The more perspectives, the more accurate your estimate. 4️⃣ Account for the Unknowns: Spoiler: Things WILL go wrong. Build in buffers for unexpected challenges like scope creep, bugs, or external dependencies. A 10-20% buffer can save your sanity. 5️⃣ Communicate Constantly: No estimate is perfect. Keep stakeholders updated on progress, roadblocks, and changes. It’s better to over-communicate than to let surprises derail expectations. 💡 Engage with me! What’s your go-to method for project timeline estimation? Do you swear by historical data or prefer gut instincts? Let’s crowdsource some brilliance in the comments! 👇 Drop your best tips, and let’s start a conversation. And if this resonated, give it a like or share it with a fellow PM who’s wrestling with timelines! Let’s make estimating timelines less of a guessing game and more of a superpower. 🚀 #ProductManagement #Agile #Leadership #ProjectTimelines #Collaboration #ProductManagement #AgileMethodology #ProjectManagement #PMTips #Leadership #TimeManagement #EstimatingTimelines #AgilePM #TechLeadership #ProjectEstimation #Scrum #ProductDevelopment #PM #DigitalTransformation #ProductStrategy

7 proven strategies to ensure your IT project hits the mark on time and on budget! One of the most common reasons IT projects fail is poor planning and unclear requirements. This leads to missed deadlines, ballooning budgets, and results that don’t align with business needs. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you plan effectively ensuring your project stays on track. 1. Define Clear Business Objectives Start by clearly defining the objective of the project. Ask yourself: What specific business problem are we solving? If you don’t have a clear answer, your project will likely suffer from scope creep and confusion. 2. Involve Stakeholders Early It’s crucial to include all relevant stakeholders right from the beginning—project managers, developers, designers, and end-users. Doing this helps avoid last-minute changes and rework, which are often the root cause of delays. 3. Break the Project into Phases Trying to deliver everything at once can overwhelm teams and lead to failure. Instead, break the project into manageable phases or milestones. Focus on delivering an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) first, then expand based on feedback. 4. Create Detailed User Stories Vague requirements lead to miscommunication. Use clear, detailed user stories that describe who the user is, what they need, and why. This helps developers understand exactly what to build and reduces the risk of misunderstandings. Example: Instead of a vague requirement like “The system should track orders,” use a user story like: “As a customer, I want to see real-time status updates so I know when my order will arrive.” 5. Prioritize Features Based on Business Impact Not all features are equally important. Prioritize them based on the value they bring to your business. This way, you deliver the most critical functionality first, even if delays occur later. Example: In an e-commerce platform project, we prioritized optimizing the checkout process, which led to a 25% increase in sales, while non-essential features were added later. 6. Set Realistic Timelines and Budgets Overambitious timelines and underestimated budgets often lead to failure. Use historical data to create accurate estimates, and always include a buffer for unforeseen challenges. Example: A SaaS company initially set a tight 3-month deadline for a major update. After reevaluating, we extended it to 5 months with extra time for testing, which allowed us to deliver on time without increasing costs. 7. Implement Regular Feedback Loops Regularly check in with stakeholders and end-users to gather feedback throughout the project. This helps identify and resolve issues early, avoiding major surprises at the end. Conclusion Plan thoroughly, gather clear requirements, and avoid costly project failures. Need help with your project planning or requirements gathering? Reach out, and let’s ensure your next IT project is a success from the start.