calendardriven

Calendardriven is an adjective describing planning, scheduling, or decision-making that is guided by calendar dates and fixed deadlines. In calendar-driven contexts, external time constraints govern the sequencing of tasks, the allocation of resources, and the prioritization of work. This approach treats dates such as product release targets, quarter-end financials, or event windows as primary drivers, with scope and effort adjusted to meet the schedule.

The term may appear in project management, product development, editorial calendars, and campaign planning. It is often contrasted with resource-driven planning, in which capacity availability determines sequencing, and with value-driven planning, in which prioritization is guided by expected customer value or business impact.

Characteristics typically include explicit deadlines, regular milestone reviews, and contingency planning focused on date risk. Benefits include improved predictability for stakeholders, better alignment with external commitments, and clearer cadence for teams. Limitations can include rigidity, pressure to compress quality or scope to meet dates, and increased risk if deadlines are underestimated.

In practice, calendar-driven work often uses fixed-date releases, time-boxed iterations with non-negotiable deadlines, or marketing or editorial calendars that synchronize with events. Critics caution that overemphasis on dates can degrade quality or responsiveness.

See also: deadline-driven management, scheduling, project management.