Schedule padding—sometimes called simply padding,[1] or recovery time—is some amount of 'additional' time added to part or all of a schedule, in excess of the expected duration, that allows it to be resilient to anticipated delays and increase the chance that the published schedule will be met. In some cases, excessive padding may be intentionally added to make it unlikely that the schedule won't be met, or to prefabricate an earlier-than-scheduled completion. Padding may have only a temporary positive impact, and many clients perceive this as a deceptive strategy.
In transportation, airlines and public transit agencies often use schedule padding to improve schedule adherence and on-time performance, as the percentage of on-time trips is typically a key performance indicator for operators.
In project management or project planning, padding is added to a project schedule to account for known risks and other unforeseen circumstances that may prevent a project from being delivered on time.
- ^ McCartney, Scott. "Why a Six-Hour Flight Now Takes Seven". The Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 8 May 2015.