TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
> It looks like I'm about to get my first independent contract, since leaving
> captive tech writing. During the interview, the client asked me my hourly
> rate. This week he's going to ask me for an estimate -- how long it will
> take me to complete the project. In 10 years as a captive, I was never asked
> to tightly pin down a time frame -- my managers did that.
Welcome to the life of an independent, where you get to do everything! :-)
> Can someone give me suggestions on how to come up with a fairly accurate
> estimate?
Invent a time machine and travel forward in time. Shoot ahead about 6 months.
If you're homeless on the street giving backrubs for crack - you know you were
really wrong.
Sorry, just being obnoxious.
There really is no way to be perfectly accurate. You have to rely on your sense
of the project. Learn as much about the project as possible. Their
expectations, requirements, tools, deadlines, etc. Also, meet the people you'll
be working with. Are they creeps who like to talk about guns or are they normal
folk who will help.
> Right now I know very little about the project. I believe it will be
> end-user docs for a web-based UI.
You need to know as much as possible about the product as you can given the
time constraints. Don't make an estimate without seeing the product or at least
a pitch on exactly what it will do.
> I expect to meet with the client by tomorrow. I plan to get plenty of
> details -- ask how many windows and dialog boxes are in the UI, whether
> development is complete or ongoing, how many SMEs I'll be working with and
> what their availability is like, whether troubleshooting docs need to be
> written, or error message explanations...what else? Any more thoughts on
> realistic variables I can ask the company to supply, to assist me in drawing
> up an estimate? Any special estimation techniques out there??
One tip: keep your estimate specific. When you're an independent you sign up to
do a job - not repair the UI and attend team building meetings. Focus your
estimate and project plan on exactly what you will deliver, when you will
deliver it, what you need to do the job, and how long it will take. That way,
if they ask for more stuff later, you can rescope the project for more time.
You got to watch out for places that will ask for one thing, then heap 19 other
things on top when you're mid-stream on the contract. That's cool when you have
a long-term outsource contract with a company, but its dangerous when you're
doing a bit project. You'll miss your main deliverable working on the other 19
things, then they'll turn on you and say "you didn't deliver what you said you
would." Technically, they are correct and you are hosed.
Its real common for companies to hire independents and then work them like
regular employees. You're not an employee, don't act like one. Stick to what
you promised to deliver and deliver that. If you can deliver what you promised
and a little more, you'll make clients happy. Do not get fooled by on-site
email accounts, names on your cubicle, and invitations to the company picnic.
You're a contractor, not an employee. If you get attached to the work and job,
you'll be devastated when they terminate your contract because some VP needs a
new fish tank in his office.
And remember, what would Brian Boytono do? He'd make a plan and he'd follow
through, cuz that's what Brian Boytono would do.
Andrew Plato
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35
a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
*** Deva(tm) Tools for Dreamweaver and Deva(tm) Search ***
Build Contents, Indexes, and Search for Web Sites and Help Systems
Available now at http://www.devahelp.com or info -at- devahelp -dot- com
Sponsored by Cub Lea, specialist in low-cost outsourced development
and documentation. Overload and time-sensitive jobs at exceptional
rates. Unique free gifts for all visitors to http://www.cublea.com
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
