Project Toolkitby Maxime Lab

Playbook

We are going to miss the date

Milestones keep slipping, or the forecast no longer reaches the deadline.

First 24 hours

  1. Stop guessing: get a real forecast from those doing the work.
  2. Check the critical path and remaining float.
  3. Find out what truly fixes the date: a contract, an event, or a preference.
  4. Tell the sponsor today, with options.

Then

  1. Cut or defer scope first. It’s usually the cheapest way to win time.
  2. Compress only critical tasks, choosing the cheapest day saved.
  3. Replan with the team and rebaseline formally.
Message you can adapt

We now forecast 12 June, not 30 May. Main cause: testing found more integration defects than planned. Options: A) drop the export and keep 30 May, B) keep scope and move to 12 June, C) add a contractor for €9k and land on 5 June. I recommend A. I need a decision by Friday.

Avoid

Don’t promise to “catch up” without a change to scope, resources or dates.

Tools for this

Last reviewed 2026-11-02 · Practitioner review pending

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