Which statement about implementation timelines is true?

Question

Options

• AThey should allow for the shortest total project elapsed time, regardless of risk.
• BThey should have a good balance across a variety of business groups.
• CThe timing should be realistic, given the scope, budget, risk, and potential benefits.
• DThe duration should be set by a single executive sponsor so that accountability is easiest to

• A
  15% (4)
• B
  4% (1)
• C
  73% (19)
• D
  8% (2)

Explanation

Option C is correct because effective implementation timelines must account for multiple real-world constraints - scope defines what needs to be done, budget limits resources, risk introduces uncertainty, and potential benefits must justify the investment. A realistic timeline balances all these factors rather than optimizing for just one.

Why the distractors fail:

• A is wrong because ignoring risk leads to unrealistic plans that collapse under pressure; risk is a critical input to timeline planning.
• B is a red herring - balancing across business groups is a stakeholder consideration, not a principle of timeline setting.
• D is wrong because accountability through a single executive sounds tidy, but timeline duration should be driven by technical and business reality, not a single person's decree; it also invites unrealistic top-down mandates.

Memory tip: Think of "C" as standing for "Comprehensive" - a good timeline is Comprehensively realistic, covering Scope, Budget, Risk, and Benefits (SBRB). If any one factor is ignored, the timeline is incomplete.

No community discussion yet for this question.