Planungstiming

Planungstiming, or planning timing, is a concept in project management and operations that describes the deliberate timing and cadence of planning activities. It focuses on when planning sessions occur, how often they repeat, and how decision points align with external constraints such as milestones, resource availability, and market windows. The aim is to improve predictability, reduce rework, and provide a stable basis for commitment and execution.

Its core elements are cadence, timeboxing, and horizon planning. Cadence establishes a regular interval for planning cycles (for example weekly or monthly). Timeboxing limits the duration of planning sessions to maintain focus and discipline. Horizon planning connects short-term plans with longer-term objectives, and is updated as new information becomes available.

Planungstiming is used in various contexts, including software development, product management, manufacturing, and urban or strategic planning. It can be implemented within both agile and traditional project management frameworks by coordinating sprint planning, milestone reviews, capacity planning, and risk assessments.

Benefits include greater alignment among teams, faster decision making at planned points, improved forecast accuracy, and better handling of uncertainties. Challenges include forecasting errors, scope changes, and the overhead of maintaining cadence in highly volatile environments.

Related concepts include cadence, timeboxing, rolling-wave planning, and release planning. In German management literature, Planungstiming is presented as a governance approach to synchronize planning with the rhythm of execution.