Free tool

Research timeline estimator

Get a realistic, phase-by-phase timeline for your research project — with the delay risks your specific project type is most likely to face.

Project scope

The timeline updates as you fill in each field.

Methodology

Completed responses or participants

Each market adds coordination overhead

Deliverable type
Client review rounds

Each round adds 2–4 working days to reporting

Optimistic

7 weeks

Best case

Realistic

8–9 weeks

Plan for this

Conservative

12–13 weeks

Buffer case

Phase breakdown

Total 35–61 working days
Common delay risks for this project

Based on your project type — updates instantly as you adjust your inputs.

B2B recruitment slippage
+7 days

Mitigation: Brief two recruitment agencies simultaneously rather than sequentially and share a combined tracker updated daily.

Respondent no-shows and late cancellations
+4 days

Mitigation: Overrecruit by 20% and maintain a reserve list of qualified respondents on standby for immediate rebooking.

Discussion guide approval rounds
+3 days

Mitigation: Share a topic list for early client alignment before writing the full guide — this reduces major revision requests at the review stage.

Transcription turnaround bottleneck
+3 days

Mitigation: Use AI-assisted transcription (e.g. Otter, Sonix) in parallel with live interviews rather than waiting until fieldwork closes.

Likelihood: ● Common ◑ Occasional ○ Rare