Rollingwave

Rolling wave, often described in project management as rolling-wave planning, is an approach to planning that emphasizes progressive elaboration. In this method, the project is planned in waves: work to be performed in the near term is planned in detail, while work planned for the more distant future is defined at a higher level.

As the project advances and more information becomes available, detail is added to the near-term plan and the longer-term plan is revised accordingly. This creates a cycle of periods where planning detail increases in successive waves. The technique supports uncertainty and is compatible with iterative and incremental life cycles.

Rolling-wave planning is commonly used in complex or uncertain projects, including construction, product development, and software projects. It is aligned with the concept of progressive elaboration and is often used together with rolling-wave forecasting for cost and schedule estimates, where estimates are refined as milestones are reached and performance information becomes available.

Advantages include reduced upfront planning time, increased flexibility, better allocation of resources to known work, and improved responsiveness to change. Limitations include the need for disciplined update processes, potential stakeholder confusion if current plans are not clearly communicated, and the risk of scope creep if changes are not well controlled.

Related concepts include progressive elaboration and rolling-wave forecasting.