← DictionaryTimeline
also called schedule
The planned sequence and dates of project work.
When each part happens.
What It Is
Timeline sits on the Execution side of the work, in the Engagement area. The working definition is simple: the planned sequence and dates of project work.
It is a label with a settled working definition, so the value is in using it the same way every time. That is the version worth keeping, because it survives contact with a real project.
How It's Used
Timeline comes up in project delivery, scheduling and the handover between people doing the work. It is usually discussed together with Milestone, Dependency and Project Management. The practical test is whether everyone in the room means the same thing by it.
Why It Matters
Getting Timeline wrong is expensive in a quiet way. When it is unclear, work still happens — it just happens twice. It is worth pinning down before anyone builds on top of it.
Think of it as a name on a box. Open the box and this is what is inside: When each part happens.
Termshift™
How the meaning shifts depending on who is using it, and where.
Practitioners use Timeline as shorthand and expect no explanation — the planned sequence and dates of project work.
Outside the industry, most people would just say: when each part happens.
The Bottom Line
Treat Timeline as a decision, not a description. When each part happens.