Microsoft Project has evolved from a DOS-based tool in the 1980s into a cloud-integrated platform. Its “Timeline” feature specifically has transitioned from a simple static view to a multi-layered, interactive reporting tool.
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Timeline Feature Development History
Early Era (1984–2007): For decades, the “timeline” was synonymous with the Gantt Chart. Users had to rely on complex print-outs or third-party tools to create high-level summaries for executives.
The dedicated Timeline View (2010): Microsoft introduced a native Timeline view in Project 2010, allowing users to cherry-pick specific tasks and milestones to display on a single horizontal bar.
Multi-Timeline Support (2016): Project 2016 expanded this by allowing multiple timeline bars in a single view. This enabled managers to represent different project phases or workstreams with independent start and end dates.
Cloud & Web Integration (2019–Present): With the launch of Project for the web, timelines became more interactive, supporting drag-and-drop adjustments and real-time co-authoring.
Task History Tracking (2023): Microsoft added a Task History pane to the web version, allowing users to see a chronological log of changes to specific timeline items.
Key Components of a Modern MS Project Timeline
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Gantt-Style Visualization: Displays tasks as horizontal bars against a calendar timescale.
Milestones & Callouts: Important dates appear as diamonds or labels that can be dragged above or below the main bar to avoid clutter.
Dependencies: Visual links between tasks that illustrate the sequence of work and the Critical Path.
Copy for Presentation: A dedicated formatting tool that allows users to export the timeline directly to Microsoft PowerPoint or email at various sizes (Small, Medium, Full Size).
Future Outlook
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Microsoft has announced that Project Online will be officially retired on 30 September 2026, with development focus shifting entirely to the new Microsoft Planner and Project for the web ecosystem.
Microsoft Project Timeline, Development History Overview
Leigh, a historic market town in South Lancashire, evolved from a collection of medieval agricultural townships into a powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution. Below is a timeline of its development.
Early History & Foundations
Ancient Origins: Neolithic stone axes and Bronze Age spearheads suggest activity as early as 1500–1000 BC.
Medieval Growth: The name “Leigh” (Saxon for “meadow” or “pasture”) was recorded as Leech in 1264. The town was the centre of an ecclesiastical parish including the townships of Bedford, Pennington, and Westleigh.
1642: During the English Civil War, local “Chowbenters” (men from nearby Atherton) defeated Royalist troops in a battle at Leigh on 2nd December.
1651: The Earl of Derby spent his final night at the King’s Arms in Leigh before his execution in Bolton.
Industrial Revolution & Expansion
1795: The Bridgewater Canal was extended to Leigh, linking the town to Manchester’s industrial network.
1820: The Leigh Branch Canal opened, connecting the town to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.
1828: The Bolton and Leigh Railway opened—the first public railway in Lancashire.
1839: The “Leigh Feight” occurred on 14th August, a major Chartist protest and riot involving over 2,000 people.
1850s: The Leigh Union Workhouse was established at Atherleigh.
Late 19th Century: Large multi-storey cotton mills like Leigh Spinners (Grade II*) and Mather Lane Mill (Grade II) transformed the skyline.
Civic Development
1875: The townships of Bedford, Pennington, and Westleigh merged to form the Leigh Local Board.
1894: Leigh became an Urban District.
1899: Leigh was granted a Royal Charter, becoming a Municipal Borough.
1907: The current Leigh Town Hall was completed on Market Street.
1920:Pennington Hall and its grounds were gifted to the people of Leigh, eventually becoming Pennington Park.
Modern Era
1974: Under the Local Government Act 1972, the Municipal Borough was abolished and Leigh became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester.
1992: The last coal mines in the area, Bickershaw and Parsonage Collieries, closed on 13th March.
2016: The Leigh-Salford-Manchester Guided Busway opened to provide rapid transit to Manchester city centre.
2023: The Leigh Leopards rugby league team won the Challenge Cup for the first time in 52 years.
Leigh’s history is a classic Lancashire tale of transition from a rural collection of townships to an industrial powerhouse. Here is a timeline of its most significant milestones:
Early Origins & Medieval Period
Stone Age & Roman Era: Archaeological finds in the area include a Stone Age axe in Pennington and a Roman coin in Bedford.
12th Century: The name “Leigh” (from the Old English leah, meaning a woodland clearing) appears in records. The ancient parish originally consisted of six townships: Astley, Atherton, Bedford, Pennington, Tyldesley cum Shakerley, and Westleigh.
1189–1199: Higher Hall, the manor house of Westleigh, dates back to the reign of Richard I.
Conflict & Industrial Revolution
1642: During the English Civil War, local Parliamentarians (the “Chowbenters”) defeated Royalist troops in the Battle of Leigh.
1760s: Local legend attributes the invention of the spinning jenny and the water frame to Thomas Highs of Leigh, marking the start of its textile dominance.
1795–1820: The Bridgewater Canal was extended to Leigh (1795), followed by the Leigh branch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal (1820), making the town a critical hub for coal and textiles.
1828: The Bolton and Leigh Railway opened for freight, becoming the first public railway in Lancashire.
1839: The “Leigth Feight” occurred on 14 August, when a mob of 2,000 Chartist strikers clashed with troops over high unemployment and living costs.
Civic Development & Modern Era
1875: The townships of Bedford, Pennington, and Westleigh merged to form the Leigh Local Board, officially adopting “Leigh” as the town’s name.
1899:Leigh was granted a Royal Charter to become a Municipal Borough.
1907: The current Leigh Town Hall, designed by J.C. Prestwich, was completed.
1911: The textile industry peaked, with over 6,000 people employed in the town’s mills.
1974: Under local government reorganisation, Leigh ceased to be an independent borough and became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester.
2008: The Leigh Sports Village opened, providing a modern home for the Leigh Leopards rugby league team.
2016: The Leigh-Salford-Manchester guided busway opened, re-establishing a rapid transport link to Manchester.
Leigh College, Marshall Street, Leigh, Lancs
Building below demolished 2007 and now rebuilt at the Leigh Sports Village – 1, 2, 3, 4 article by Julie McKiernan courtesy of PastForward, produced by Wigan Archives & Museums, Issue No. 97, August – November 2024, Marking 50 years of the borough, Wigan and Leigh’s local history magazine – Address: Past Forward, Archives, Wigan & Leigh, Leigh Town Hall, Mark Street, Leigh, WN7 1DY
Mark Whitfield’s project management templates offer a range of timeline and planning views designed for Agile, Waterfall, and PRINCE2 delivery. These templates typically include a high-level Plan on a Page (POaP) and detailed Microsoft Project (MPP) or Excel schedules.
Example Plan on a Page POaP
Timeline & Planning Views
Plan on a Page (POaP): A high-level summary view (often in PowerPoint or Excel) used to communicate key phases and milestones to stakeholders without the clutter of a full Gantt chart.
Detailed Gantt Charts: Provided in both Microsoft Project (MPP) and Excel, these timelines include task dependencies, resource allocations, and critical path tracking.
Agile Sprint Timelines: Specialized views for tracking 2–4 week sprints, daily stand-ups, and sprint retrospectives within a broader project framework.
SDLC Progression: The templates are often structured around a typical Software Development Life-cycle (SDLC), moving from Inception to Transition and Early Live Support (ELS).
Key Timeline Components
The templates are pre-configured with several essential timeline elements:
Project Start & End Dates: Easily adjustable fields that automatically update durations and downstream tasks.
Milestones & Gateways: Visual markers for critical sign-off points and delivery stages.
Task Dependencies: Pre-built links that show how delays in one area (e.g., hardware delivery) impact the overall project finish date.
Resource View: Timelines integrated with resource calendars to account for holidays and leave.
HPE NonStop (originally Tandem) has a nearly 50-year history as the gold standard for fault-tolerant, “always-on” computing. Originally developed by Tandem Computers to eliminate single points of failure, the platform has survived through several major corporate acquisitions while evolving its underlying processor architecture.
Founding and The Tandem Era (1974–1997)
The “NonStop” architecture was born from the idea that a single hardware failure should never crash a system.
1974:Tandem Computers is founded by Jimmy Treybig and three former HP engineers.
1976: The first Tandem/16 (later NonStop I) is shipped to Citibank. It featured a “shared-nothing” architecture where each CPU had its own memory and copy of the Guardian OS.
1981:NonStop II is released, introducing 32-bit addressing to support larger applications.
1983: The NonStop TXP and Pathway software are introduced. Pathway revolutionized the platform by allowing programmers to write fault-tolerant apps without manually coding “checkpoints”.
1986:NonStop SQL is launched, the first fault-tolerant relational database.
1989:NonStop Cyclone arrives, a high-end mainframe-class system.
1991–1993: Transition to MIPS RISC processors begins with the Cyclone/R and the Himalaya K-series.
Corporate Acquisitions and Transition (1997–2014)
The platform changed hands twice in five years, but the mission-critical nature of the technology kept it alive.
Salford Quays has evolved from a largely empty landscape of racecourses and medieval halls into one of the UK’s most significant urban regeneration projects.
1986–1990: Massive infrastructure programme: polluted dock water is separated by bunds, and a compressed air mixing system (Helixor) is installed to improve water quality.
1987: Introduction of 12,000 coarse fish to the now-cleaned waterways.
1989: Opening of the Mariners Canal to link the Ontario and Erie Basins.
1999: Completion of major bridge works and the Metrolink extension, connecting the Quays to Manchester city centre.
PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) has evolved from a rigid, IT-specific framework into a globally recognised, flexible project management standard.
Historical Evolution Timeline
1975: PROMPT Origins – Simpact Systems Ltd developed PROMPT (Project Resource Organisation Management and Planning Techniques) to address IT project overruns.
1996: PRINCE2 Launch – Developed with input from 150 European organisations, PRINCE2 was released as a generic, scalable framework suitable for any industry.
2009: Major “Refresh” – Introduced the seven core principles and made the method more customisable.
2017: 6th Edition Update – Formerly known as the “2017 Update,” this version focused heavily on scalability and tailoring to specific project needs.
2021–Present: PeopleCert Era – PeopleCert acquired AXELOS in 2021. In 2023, PRINCE2 7 was launched, introducing a greater emphasis on people management and sustainability.
Comprehensive Project Timeline Breakdown
A standard PRINCE2 project follows a lifecycle defined by seven processes:
The technical timeline for BASE24 and its core networking component, XPNET, reflects the evolution of high-availability payment switching on HP NonStop (Tandem) systems.
Technical Evolution Timeline
1980s: The Foundation
BASE24 Release: Originally developed by Applied Communications Inc. (now ACI Worldwide), BASE24 was built for the Tandem Guardian operating system.
XPNET Introduction: Developed as the Message-Oriented Middleware (MOM) to handle all transaction routing and communications. It introduced a multi-node architecture allowing different “satellite” processes (ATM, POS, Host) to communicate.
1990s: Scale and Maturity
Classic Era: BASE24 “Classic” became the industry standard for ATM and POS switching.
XPNET 3.x: Enhanced to support larger networks and more complex auditing through NCPCOM.
Language & DB: The system relied on TAL (Tandem Application Language), COBOL, and the Enscribe database.
2000s: The Shift to BASE24-eps
2003–2005: ACI introduced BASE24-eps (Electronic Payment Systems). This was a re-architecture using C++ and Java to provide platform independence.
XPNET 4.1: Released to support the transition, adding features like Common Transport Subsystem (CTS) for better Pathway integration and support for external processes.
z/OS Support: By 2009, BASE24-eps was fully ported to IBM z/OS using CICS and VSAM.
2010s – Present: Modernisation & Cloud
2014–2017: Continued updates to BASE24 Classic R6.0, maintaining its relevance for legacy users.
Cloud Enablement: Recent versions of BASE24-eps focus on REST API integration via tools like LightWave, allowing legacy XPNET paths to be exposed as web services.
Active/Active Environments: Modern implementations focus on “continuous availability” using GoldenGate for data replication between sites.
Key Technical Components
NMM (Network Management Module): The core process of XPNET that manages the configuration of lines, stations, and links.
LCONF: The Logical Network Configuration File used by XPNET to define how messages route between processes.
Auditing: XPNET provides the primary transaction auditing mechanism, which is still utilized by both Classic and eps versions.
Mark Whitfield, an SC cleared, Senior IT Project Manager and Engagement Manager, spans over 30 years and transitions from specialized banking software development to high-level project leadership and cloud migrations.
Professional Career Timeline
1990 – 1994:Programmer at The Software Partnership (later Deluxe Data). Developed electronic banking software (sp/ARCHITECT-BANK) on Tandem Computers (now HPE NonStop) for major banks like TSB and Bank of Scotland.
1994 – 1995:Lead Analyst at Deluxe Data International, continuing support and development for banking customer systems.
1995 – 2013: Project Manager of Strategic Technical Initiatives at Insider Technologies Limited. Oversaw projects involving Reflex 80:20, Sentra development, and corporate website authoring.
2013 – 2014: Project Manager (Banking Division) at Wincor Nixdorf Limited, focusing on professional services for the banking sector.
2014 – 2016: Senior Digital Project Manager at Betfred Limited, managing the Online and Mobile Division.
Betfred’s journey from a single shop in Salford to a global betting powerhouse is marked by bold innovations and high-profile acquisitions.
Historical Timeline
1967: Brothers Fred and Peter Done open their first betting shop in Salford, Greater Manchester, using winnings from a bet on England to win the 1966 World Cup.
1984: Launch of the Lucky 15 bet, a major industry innovation that remains popular today.
1997: The company expands to over 100 shops.
1998: Fred Done becomes the first bookmaker to pay out early, paying on Manchester United to win the Premier League (only for Arsenal to win the title instead).
1999: First major acquisition, purchasing 40 shops from the Demmy Racing Group.
2004: The business is officially rebranded to Betfred. The company also launches its online betting site this year.
2006: Betfred launches one of the industry’s first mobile betting platforms.
2011: Wins the auction to buy The Tote from the UK government for £265 million.
2016: Acquires 322 shops from Ladbrokes and Coral following their merger.
2021: Fred Done steps down as CEO to become Chairman, with Joanne Whittaker taking over the CEO role.
2024–2026: Significant global expansion, establishing a presence in South Africa and the United States, though later scaling back some US online operations in late 2025.
Operational Timelines (Payment & Payouts)
If you are looking for current service timelines for transactions, here are the standard processing windows as of February 2026:
Withdrawal Processing: Betfred aims to approve requests within 48 hours.
Fastest Methods: Visa Direct and certain E-wallets (PayPal, Skrill) often arrive within 4 to 6 hours.
Standard Methods: Bank transfers typically take 2 to 5 working days.
Free Bet Credit: Usually credited within 10 hours of a qualifying bet being settled.
Wincor Nixdorf’s journey spans from a mid-century German startup to its 2016 merger with Diebold, forming a global leader in banking and retail technology.
Capgemini’s evolution from a small French startup to a global IT leader is marked by strategic mergers and a shift toward high-growth technologies like AI.
Corporate History Timeline
1967: Serge Kampf founded Sogeti in Grenoble, France, focusing on enterprise management and data processing.
1973–1975: Through hostile takeovers and mergers with CAP and Gemini Computer Systems, the group became CAP Gemini Sogeti.
1985–1988: The company was listed on the Paris Stock Exchange (1985) and entered the CAC 40 index (1988).
1996: The name was simplified to Cap Gemini, and a new logo was launched.
2000: Acquired Ernst & Young Consulting for $11 billion, expanding its global reach, especially in North America.
2004: The brand officially became Capgemini to reflect a unified global identity.
2015: Acquired iGate for $4 billion, making North America its largest market.
2019–2021: Acquired Altran (2019), later rebranded as Capgemini Engineering (2021), to dominate the engineering and R&D services sector.
2024–2025: The strategic focus shifted to AI. In July 2025, Capgemini announced a €3.3 billion deal to acquire WNS Global Services to bolster its agentic AI and intelligent operations.
Recruitment & Career Timelines
The hiring process typically follows this path:
Hiring Process: Usually takes a few weeks, involving application screening, multiple interview rounds (technical and HR), and background verification.
Graduate/Mass Hiring: Often conducted via the Superset platform, where status updates like “offered” appear roughly a week after interviews.
Graduate Programme: The Accelerate Programme (UK) spans approximately 21 months, starting with a 3-month business overview followed by 18 months in a specific pathway academy.
The Software Partnership (TSP) was a Runcorn-based software house co-founded by Nigel Walsh in the mid-1980s. Specialising in on-line banking systems for Tandem and UNIX platforms, the company underwent several acquisitions that integrated its technology into global financial services.
Corporate Timeline
Mid-1980s: Founded as The Software Partnership.
1990: Initial operations were based at Wingate Drive in Timperley before moving to Norton House in Crowngate, Runcorn.
1992: Relocated to Wingate House on Northway, Runcorn.
1994: Acquired by the American firm Deluxe Electronic Payment Systems (a subsidiary of Deluxe Corporation).
2000: The company transitioned to EFD eFunds.
2007: Became part of Fidelity National Information Services (FIS), eventually moving operations to Daresbury Park in Warrington.
Key Products
The company’s primary legacy is the development of sp/ARCHITECT-BANK, a software suite designed for secure card management and electronic transaction processing. This technology became a foundational component for the secure payment systems later managed by Deluxe Data and FIS.
The Software Partnership, Norton House, Crowngate, Runcorn, CheshireThe Software Partnership (TSP) was a Runcorn-based software houseDeluxe Data International Operations, Wingate House, Northway
Insider Technologies Limited is a UK-based software and services company founded in 1989 that specialises in 24×7 mission-critical systems, primarily for the financial, government, and defence sectors.
Key Historical Timeline
1989: Foundation. The company was incorporated on 27 February 1989. It was established in Manchester, England, by IT industry veterans.
1995–2013: Growth & Partnerships.
Became a significant HP Partner, developing solutions for the HP NonStop platform (formerly Tandem Computers).
Expanded its client base to include major institutions such as the Bank of England, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Euroclear.
2002: Training Platform Launch. Founded its interactive systems training platform, which eventually utilised its patented Cloning Technology.
2015: Leadership Transition. In October 2015, there was a major change in the board with the termination of appointments for directors Paul Cashmore, Richard Launder, and Anthony Mowatt, and the appointment of Andrew Donald Hall as a director.
2016–2017: Relocation. The company moved its registered office to 4th Floor, 2 City Approach in Eccles, Manchester, where it remains today.
2019: 30th Anniversary. Celebrated 30 years of operations, highlighting its long-term stability in the NonStop business technology community.
2020–2021: Recent Restructuring. Transitioned its ownership structure under Insider Technologies (Holdings) Limited.
2025: Current Status.
Now operates as part of the PartnerOne group, a global family of mission-critical software companies.
Continues as a Microsoft Gold Partner for Application Development.
Recent board changes include the appointment of Andrew Donald Hall and Jonathan Dionne as directors in late 2025.
Core Product Evolution
Reflex & MultiBatch: Software for business-critical 24×7 systems.
Sentra & RTLX Reactor: Monitoring and tracking products for Windows, Linux, and Unix platforms.
Mission-Critical Support: Provides 24×7 technical support for high-stakes payment and messaging systems.
The institution now known as the University of Greater Manchester (formerly the University of Bolton) has a history spanning over 200 years. Below is the timeline of its evolution from a local mechanics’ institute to a modern university.
1892: The new Bolton Technical School opens to accommodate growing student numbers.
1926: The Technical School is expanded and renamed Bolton Technical College.
1952: A major new building for the Technical College opens on Manchester Road.
The “Bolton Institute” Era (1964–2003)
1964: The technical college separates to establish the Bolton Institute of Technology (BIT).
1970: New facilities on Deane Road are inaugurated by Princess Margaret.
1982: A merger with the Bolton College of Education (Technical) creates the Bolton Institute of Higher Education (BIHE).
1991–1995: The institute expands its capabilities, gaining the authority to confer both taught and research degrees.
Bolton Institute of Higher Education (BIHE) before the rebuild to the university building below.
University Status and Recent History (2004–Present)
2004: BIHE achieves university status, becoming the University of Bolton.
2005–2010: Significant leadership changes occur, including the appointment of Professor George E. Holmes as Vice-Chancellor and Baroness Morris of Bolton as the first Chancellor.
My final year project consisted of an ORACLE SQL-forms designed GUI interface running under an MS-DOS operating system. The GUI interface provided insert, update, delete and transaction rollback facilities for recording information about students attending courses at BIHE, along with their module assignment and exam result details. The student data was held in an ORACLE SQL database set-up on a PC local to the application.
HPE NonStop (formerly Tandem) represents a line of fault-tolerant, high-availability servers designed for 24/7, zero-downtime operations. Originally created by Tandem Computers in 1974, the architecture is now owned by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and supports mission-critical workloads like banking and finance.
Key Aspects of HPE NonStop (Tandem):
Continuous Availability: Designed to eliminate single points of failure with 100% fault tolerance.
Architecture: Initially used a proprietary Tandem T/16 design; modern systems are based on HPE Integrity/x86 architectures.
Operating System: Traditionally runs the Guardian OS, which handles the system’s specialized, continuous processing capabilities.
Evolution: Founded by James Treybig in 1974, Tandem was acquired by Compaq in 1997, which then merged with HP in 2002.
Applications: Ideal for transactional applications requiring strict data integrity and real-time processing.
Modern Platforms: Current systems include HPE NonStop Compute NS9 X5 and NS5 X5.
The systems are still widely used today for mission-critical applications that cannot afford to be offline.
HPE NonStop (formerly Tandem) represents a line of fault-tolerant, high-availability servers.
PROject Templates 