Ten Tips for Meeting Your Deadlines
“I NEVER MET A DEADLINE I COULDN’T MISS”
Dorothy Parker’s famous witticism is only funny if it hasn’t become a way of life at your organization. Here are some tips for keeping your communications projects on track—and on time.
1. Get real. Most communications projects take longer than you think—it’s never too early to start.
2. Think in stages. A realistic deadline builds in time for several layers of review and revision during the editorial phase and the graphic design process. Be aware that the more people involved in the review process, the longer each review will take. Anticipate each phase and make a schedule, working backwards from your ideal publication date. Don’t forget to build in time for printing and/or getting the document online.
3. Dig deep. Take time early on to think the project through: What’s the purpose of this document? What’s the underlying message? Who are the core audiences and what type of language, style, and appearance will grab their attention? What content and elements should the document include? Some content will evolve along the way, but a clear sense of the purpose and parameters from the start keeps projects from mushrooming—a recipe for missed deadlines and overspending.
4. Don’t be list-less. Make a checklist of everything that needs to happen in conjunction with your project—writing of text; acquisition of photos/artwork; interviewing of subjects; background research and fact-checking; reviewing, revising, and proofreading each draft; and of course, designing and printing (or uploading) the document. Don’t forget “small details” like creating photo captions or ordering special envelopes for mailings.
5. Apportion time. Establish timelines for each item on your checklist. Getting to your “major deadline” means meeting a series of smaller deadlines along the way.
6. Delegate. Using your checklist for guidance, figure out who’s doing what from the get-go. Clearly established roles and responsibilities, combined with a fully drawn list of tasks and timetables, will support a smooth process.
7. Expect the unexpected. Build in a little extra time for the inevitable: as in The Twilight Zone, something unexpected will arise.
8. Fake it. Like setting your watch 15 minutes ahead to help you show up on time, artificial deadlines are an effective psychological trick. If, for example, your project has a hard deadline of June 1, aim to be finished by May 15. This extra padding means that you’ll either finish the project ahead of time (a truly exhilarating feeling!) or reach your deadline in a more relaxed and comfortable way. This method also works well with the “mini-deadlines” along the way, leaving you with an extra cushion of time to cope with the inescapable surprises mentioned above.
9. Maintain momentum. Weekly or twice-weekly updates keep the project on everyone’s radar. These updates can happen in person, via email, or by phone—the important thing is that the project continually moves ahead and that problems are addressed as soon as they arise.
10. Look back. Keep records on how long projects of this kind have taken your organization in the past. Did you hope to have last year’s annual report written and printed in six weeks, only to discover that it actually took four months? Or did you find that, with a team of 10 reviewers, the revision/review process took a month instead of the two weeks you’d budgeted? Use this information in planning future documents—you’ll have many fewer headaches, a sharper product, and a much happier team.