Time boxing is a system of time management which breaks down a long and complex task into smaller pieces. Each piece of the task must be accomplished by a specific deadline. In time boxing deadlines are not flexible, but everything else in the project is.
In time boxing a large task is broken down into several sections. Each section has specific guidelines for its completion. When the boxes are first “laid out”, along with their deadlines, the project may be very detailed. As each deadline approaches, if the tasks first pinpointed in the time box are not near to completion, certain aspects of those tasks may be scraped.
One example of this type of time management system might be to consider a script for a motion picture. The scenes are laid out in boxes, with 5 or 6 scenes to be completed at each deadline. As the deadline approaches one of scenes may be dropped, in order to finish the completion of that section of the project on time.
Time boxing does not work in every instance. The key element to this system of time management is the deadline. In some cases if the deadline is not met, the entire project is scraped as a result.
The system works best when a strict budget must be adhered to, thus preventing the extending of deadlines, in order to finish the work.