In order to create a successful review you will need time, a team, and the correct tools.
Time
Systematic reviews can be very time intensive and other reviews may be more appropriate for you if you have limited time or are working alone. Use the tools on the Types of Reviews page of this guide to help you determine what type of review you may want to conduct. The PredicTER tool can also give you an estimate of how much time may be needed for your review.
A systematic review project is time consuming. The 2022 updated version of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions states that it is the most important factor for conducting a review.
Authors are advised to give due consideration to the resources needed to undertake a Cochrane Review, of which the most important resource is time. (Cumpston, 2022)
Systematic reviews and scoping reviews could require a year or more to complete. The Cochrane Collaboration has reported that literature searches for systematic reviews could take three to eight months to complete. (Higgins, 2021)
You might want to review this article for a more detailed analysis of the amount time needed to create a systematic review.
Borah, R., Brown, A. W., Capers, P. L., & Kaiser, K. A. (2017). Analysis of the time and workers needed to conduct systematic reviews of medical interventions using data from the PROSPERO registry. BMJ open, 7(2), e012545.
Team
A systematic review cannot usually be completed by one person. Your search results must be screened and appraised by a minimum of two reviewers, ideally with a third available to settle any disagreements. Systematic reviews are a team effort - at least two people are needed, preferably three or four. Important areas of expertise to cover are content expert, systematic review methods expert, statistician, librarian, and reference management.
Tools
Some tools can help with data extraction, performing analysis, tracking the team's progress, and improving communication between members. Some of these tools are fee-based while others are free. There are software products designed to help you manage the entire review process. View the Tools and Software page of this guide for more information. You should also keep in mind that not every tool is appropriate for every kind of synthesis or review.
Cumpston M. Chandler J. Chapter II: Planning a Cochrane Review. In: Higgins JPT, Thomas J, Chandler J, CumpstonM, Li T, Page MJ, Welch VA (editors). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions version 6.3 (updated February 2022). Cochrane, 2022.
Higgins JPT, Thomas J, Chandler J, Cumpston M, Li T, Page MJ, Welch VA (editors). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions version 6.2 (updated February 2021). Cochrane, 2021.