Missed deadline logic tree

This logic tree separates a missed deadline into planning and execution causes. Planning asks whether the estimate and scope assumptions were realistic. Execution asks whether work was blocked or whether capacity, quality, or rework slowed progress. The distinction matters because adding people does not solve an unmade decision, and tighter tracking does not solve a poor estimate. Use actual milestone dates, change records, dependency logs, and defect data to test each branch. A good deadline review identifies the few causal factors that can be changed in the next plan, rather than assigning a generic cause such as poor communication. It gives readers a concise reference they can reuse when discussing the result with colleagues.