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Estimates Are NOT Due Dates Was: Important Stuff They Don't Teach In Tech Writing School Was Re: School vs experience...
Subject:Estimates Are NOT Due Dates Was: Important Stuff They Don't Teach In Tech Writing School Was Re: School vs experience... From:Tony Markos <ajmarkos -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 27 Aug 2004 11:28:12 -0700 (PDT)
Tony Markos says:
* An estimate is just that - an estimate, meant to be
revised for subsequent information. An estimate is
not a due date. The (seemingly) standard industry
practice of trying to equate estimates with due dates
is the biggest factor retarding the growth of
organizational maturity.
Actually, I once had a boss who tried to make us
believe that estimates are personal moral commitments.
He tried to tie estimates (due dates to him) in with
the Bible and would thunder "Those who do not meet
estimates bring great shame upon themselves!" But
then this guy wore Rush Limbaugh signature ties to
work.
* It is not my feeling, but a law of Project
Management: Quality, Quantity, and Time: we can have
any two, but we must compromise on the third. As Rush
(and George W)would say "This is black and white;
there is nothing fuzzy about it." The alternative is
working unlimited overtime - which is not a workable
solution.
A TW (or Developer for that matter) may work to a firm
due date and trick himself/herself into believing that
no compromise is being made on quality and/or
quantity, but the law can not be broken.
> I think meeting our due dates is one of the most
> important elements in
> showing that we ARE professionals who take our work
> seriously. That DOES
> mean having input on the estimates from the get-go,
> and I do understand
> that a lot of writers don't. Nonetheless, we should
> not have to compromise
> quality/quantity to get the work done. That said, I
> do get overtime pay at
> my current job--but I didn't at my last job, and I
> still met all my dates
> even if they were unreasonable (which they sometimes
> were).
>
> Whenever I'm asked "when can you get this done?" I
> always say "when do you
> want it?". That starts the negotiation. Always we
> are able to find a date
> that keeps me from going insane and makes my program
> managers happy (so
> that I am the preferred writer for many of them).
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