Okuzeka
Project Management vocabulary · Schedule & Time

Buffer

Meaning in project management, with examples

/ˈbʌfər/nounCommon term

In project management, buffer means: Extra time added to a schedule, or extra money or capacity kept aside, to absorb delays and surprises without missing the final date.

In Turkish: tampon süre, yedek süre, pay

How it is used

An everyday word in planning. Planners add, build in, keep or use up a buffer. A time buffer is similar to schedule contingency; float is the technical word for spare time that a task naturally has in the network.

Example sentences

  1. I've added a two-week buffer before the launch in case the testing finds serious bugs.

  2. We've already used most of our buffer, so any new delay will move the go-live date.

Common collocations

  • add a buffer
  • build in a buffer
  • time buffer
  • use up the buffer
  • contingencyExtra money or time added to a project plan to cover known risks and unexpected problems.
  • critical pathThe longest chain of dependent tasks in a project. It sets the shortest possible finish date, so any delay to a task on it delays the whole project.
  • timelineThe planned order and dates of the main activities and milestones of a project, often shown as a line or chart.
  • slipOf a date, task or schedule: to move later than planned, usually little by little and often without anyone formally deciding it.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Schedule & Time

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: