Life's Little I.T. Lessons, #677

[the_gneech]

Remember, kids: every time you move Heaven and Earth to make a tight deadline, they'll cut 8 hours off your budget for the next project.

-The Gneech

Comments

[mouser.livejournal.com]

This is referred to as "Spock's Law of project management" and is why you take any time estimate and change it to the next larger unit of measure (days become weeks, etc.)

[laurie-robey.livejournal.com]

We don't get to give estimates most of the time. We're told, "This is what you need to do, and this is how many hours you have."

When we are allowed to give an estimate, we're usually told it's too high, and contracts cuts the budget.

[mouser.livejournal.com]

I've had that meeting. The boss "asked" for my input on how long a given piece would take, then answered himself. After the second item on his list, I was mentally updating my resume. (Company lasted about six more months.)

[ladyfox7oaks.livejournal.com]

I hear that happen all the time around here... but as we're the State offices well....

Let's just say the turnover is higher than you'd expect for a company to have and still survive.

[carlfoxmarten]

Have you tried being just a little bit late, by a day or two?

You know, just to make them think you have a lot of work to do.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, all that does is guarantee I don't get a raise this year.

-TG

[carlfoxmarten]

Isn't there someone you can complain to?

And what about that article about managing IT properly you posted about a while ago?

[invisiblewolf.livejournal.com]

That's why I don't respect artificial deadlines at work.

-Spiritwolf.

[hossblacksilver.livejournal.com]

Don't you remember Scotty's rule?

KIRK: Mr. Scott. Have you always multiplied your repair estimates by a factor of four?

SCOTTY: Certainly, sir. How else can I keep my reputation as a miracle worker?