Design to Schedule Model is said to be the most efficient model in terms of timing and scheduling. It is believed that this model utilizes the same process as that of the Staged Delivery model in a sense that there is a “deliverable” at every stage; however, it does not hold the same predictability as the former and at times, a product’s full potential may not be developed. All the same, the Design to Schedule model can ensure that the product is going to be ready at any time necessary.
Design to Schedule Phases
As mentioned earlier, the Design to Schedule model follows a similar process with Staged Delivery, which means that the phases are more or less the same- except for some minor exemptions.
Concept Creation and Requirement Gathering: The first phase in which the project team will decide on what the project is going to be all about, as well as securing the initial requirements needed for it.
Planning and Designing: The plotting of goals is set during this phase. Additionally, setting of priorities is going to take place here and it is always important to make sure that priorities are carefully considered. A failure when using this model usually occurs when priorities are not well planned.
Implementation: The phase where each objective or priority is being attended to, including implementation and testing of the outputs. Those placed under high priority goes first and the one that is lowest in priority of course goes last.
Evaluation: When everything is done, documentation and data are assessed to make a checklist on what works and what does not for a particular product or service. This way, a more objective and reliable assessment is made.
Advantages of Design to Schedule Model
The Design to Schedule model provides lesser instances for errors to be committed during the course of the project. With constant testing done in the 3rd stage, minimal or no error can be expected. Furthermore, you can easily take the product out at any given time and it will still be ready to function. As testing is done throughout, you can be assured that if for some reason you need to take it out, the product can be delivered by then. Fixed dates for release can be had with the Design to Schedule model.
Disadvantages of Design to Schedule Model
This particular model indicates that a project team’s ability to provide “deliverables” at any stage is more important than the cost it will incur, and whether or not the needs or goals have been met. This makes it more ideal for well-structured systems because if some factors are not solid, chances are, this model will not work for this particular project. Moreover, it would require skilled management to be part of the project team, who can correctly conduct planning and implementation perfectly, as corrections are almost not tolerated in this type of model.
It is also noteworthy to mention that time is often not utilized well when using the Design to Schedule model. With so much time set aside for planning, many of the ideas and proposals may not even be included during the last few stages because of resource constraint.
The Design to Schedule model is suitable for projects that are made out of proven systems and structures. It works best for those that can provide heavy supervision because if errors are committed within the course of the project, it may greatly affect its entirety. But because there is constant implementation and testing on every specific objective- which is set depending on how the project team has deemed it to be important, there is less likelihood for systems and processes to be jeopardized. For this reason, a lot of companies employ this model when they are handling some important projects.
