/ˈʃrɜːdɪŋərz ˈdɛdlaɪn/
Definition
A temporal anomaly in which a delivery date is both missed and met until formally observed by upper management. Exists in a superposition of “on track”, “slightly delayed”, and “re-scoped for strategic alignment.
Common Manifestations
- Appears as “green” in project dashboards despite zero commits in three weeks.
- Simultaneously used by Product to claim momentum and by Engineering to justify burnout.
- Reborn every Monday as a “soft target.”
- Becomes officially “achieved” only after being retroactively adjusted in Confluence.
Usage Example
“We’re still on schedule—according to the latest definition of schedule. Classic Schrödinger’s Deadline.”
HR Guidance
Avoid direct measurement. Opening the calendar collapses the waveform into disappointment. Best practice is to describe status using non-committal quantum adjectives such as ‘tentative,’ ‘fluid,’ and ‘agile.’