Whether you are a business, a student, or an online educator, it is often difficult to organize your time. A timeline is a simple way to manage a messy process or project by breaking it down into smaller milestones. This breakdown helps you have a quick overview of what is going on. You can also visualize the next phase of the process and thus plan accordingly. Timelines may be professional, educational, or personal. The most important factors in a timeline are duration and dates.
Benefits of A Timeline
Easy Project Tracking: A timeline is a kind of standard you have created for a project. Thus it can help you track your project progress. Better Management of Time: You can organize your project milestones effectively based on the time period. This helps in better management without delays. Prioritize Tasks: A timeline can also help you create milestones on the basis of importance. You can complete the important tasks first.
How to Create a Timeline?
The process of making a timeline depends upon the purpose that it serves. For example, whether it is for educational purposes, business purposes, or more. However, some points still remain common for all types of timelines. You can create a timeline using the following way.
First, determine the main goal for your project. This is the end goal that determines the successful accomplishment of a project. Now frame the key milestones. A milestone is a small implementable step that brings you closer to your ultimate project goal. Once the milestone is clear, it is time to decode on timeframe to accomplish each milestone. Review your timeline plan and implement it into your timeline maker tool.
Now you are familiar with how a timeline can help and what it should include. So, let’s explore some good timeline maker tools that can help you effortlessly create a timeline in minutes.
Adobe Express
Adobe Express lets you create a timeline of your custom design for free. It offers a variety of timeline templates that you can customize by adding images and icons from its library. You can give your timeline a look and feel of your choice. Once your timeline is ready, Adobe Express lets you share, print, or import it to other projects as well. Here you can explore templates for educational as well as professional timelines.
Lucidchart
Lucidchart is a smart timeline-maker tool that lets you create a timeline using diagrams. It has a huge library of shapes you need to use for making timelines. Its drag-and-drop interface lets you do it instantly. Add timeframes, processes, or events by giving them custom styles and export your timeline in several file formats. This tool also generates a link to your timeline that you can share via email or any other platform.
Creately
Whether you need a timeline for your business project, an upcoming event, or teaching, Creately has the solution for everything. It comes with an easy-to-use interface that offers drag-and-drop tools to organize processes. There are multiple templates for different categories of timelines. You can make use of diagrammatic controls and tools to define your timeline elements. This tool makes creating and editing even complex timelines a task of minutes. Creately timelines can be embedded in your website or intranet. Creately timelines incorporate collaborative use as well. It offers multiple real-time cursors, video conferencing tools, comment sections, etc., facilitating collaborative participation.
Visme
Visme is an easy and simple timeline maker tool that you can use for free. With a large variety of templates, Visme offers you a quick beginning point to start your timeline-making process. You can utilize its drag-and-drop tools to add shapes, images, diagrams, or more to customize the look of the template. Visme lets you add information to your timeline using font styles, colors, and more of your choice. Its library consists of thousands of images and icons that you can use. You can create a standalone timeline or add it to your report or presentation. You can also share your timeline by downloading its high-resolution images.
Canva
Canva is a great timeline creation tool that lets you create intuitive timelines for free. It has a wide selection of timeline templates that you can edit further. It also allows you to create your timeline from scratch without using any pre-designed template. Canva’s library of tools consists of free and paid shapes, images, illustrations, and videos. All these can be utilized to give a custom look to the timeline. Style the text the way you want using its multiple font styles and color options. Once your timeline is ready, you can download it in JPEG, PNG, or PDF formats and share it anywhere.
TimeGraphics
TimeGraphics lets you create a timeline for teaching, business, and personal use. It allows you to create your timeline online free of cost. The American Association of School Librarians endorses this timeline maker tool. Unlike other tools, it does not offer templates for creating timelines. It offers numerous options to let you add images, videos, files, documents, and much more from your device. Thus with TimeGraphics, you will be able to create a unique and fully personalized timeline for yourself. You can work on your timeline even offline, as it offers export features. Besides this, to offer you more ease and convenience, it lets you integrate with any Google services.
Smartdraw
Create interactive timelines for your presentation, project, or events with Smartdraw in minutes. It comes with a set of templates that lets you quick-start the process. Add historical events, milestones, or more as per the scope of your purpose. You can add custom images to the timeline quickly. It lets you give the desired formatting to the items, such as highlighting important events, etc. In case of any queries, the Smartdraw team ensures to offer support to help you with your timeline. You can share your timeline in PNG, PDF, or more formats.
Timeline Maker
Timeline Maker offers you 5 different styles of the timeline that you can choose from. These include:
Flag Chart Bar Chart Vertical Flag Chronology Project Gantt
You can gather or collect the timeline data and store it with you in any file format. Import this file, and it will automatically create an insight into your data in the timeline style of your choice. You can create different views from the same data set to eliminate errors and duplication.
Conclusion
You can see timeline creation is not a hectic or time-consuming task with these easy-to-use timeline maker tools. You need clarity on your goals, milestones, and associated timeframes. So, if you want your project flow to be more efficient, use any of these timeline maker tools. Create an intuitive timeline and see the positive results. Here are some project roadmap templates to ensure project success.
