Scenario Forecasting
Create named forecast scenarios, view them as Gantt charts, and compare multiple delivery options across the forecast tabs.
A forecast scenario is a named set of assumptions — scope, team size, and timeline — that produces a Gantt chart showing when your project is expected to complete. You can create multiple scenarios to compare delivery options without committing to any of them.
What Is a Forecast Scenario?
Think of a scenario as a "what if" — a snapshot of your project under specific conditions:
- What if we have 4 engineers for 12 weeks?
- What if we descope the reporting workstream?
- What if we start 2 weeks earlier?
Each scenario is independent. Changing one does not affect the others, so you can freely explore options and present them to stakeholders.
Creating a Scenario
Scenarios live in the project definition. In the current beta, the most common ways to create another scenario are:
- Open the Advanced Editor tab and use the Duplicate menu
- Or ask the AI Builder to copy an existing scenario with a new assumption
- Give the new scenario a clear name such as "Optimistic (5 engineers)" or "MVP scope"
- Adjust the inputs:
- Team size: the number of people working on the project
- Start date: when work begins
- Scope: which workstreams and work items to include
Reading the Gantt Chart
The forecast is displayed as a horizontal Gantt chart:
| Element | What It Represents |
|---|---|
| Rows | Workstreams (e.g., Design, Development, QA) |
| Bars | Work items within each workstream |
| Diamonds | Milestones |
| Right edge of the last bar | Estimated project completion date |
Work items are sequenced automatically based on their dependencies. Items within the same workstream run sequentially by default; cross-workstream dependencies are respected where defined.
Comparing Multiple Scenarios
To compare scenarios:
- Create two or more scenarios with different assumptions
- Review them in Forecast Results, Charts, and AI Insights
- Note the estimated completion date, cost, and tradeoffs for each
Managing Scenario Names
- Rename: edit the scenario name in the Advanced Editor, or ask the AI Builder to rename or copy it with a new name
- Remove: delete the scenario from the project definition in the Advanced Editor if you no longer need it
Chart Renderers
Farline AI renders the forecast using chart views optimised for export and comparison. You can:
- Zoom in/out using the zoom controls to focus on specific time periods
- Pan left and right to navigate along the timeline
- Export the chart as PNG or SVG — see Exporting Your Forecast
Related
- AI Project Builder — generate a project plan to forecast
- Syncing with Jira — push the forecast dates back to Jira
- Exporting Your Forecast — download or share the Gantt chart