Re: People don't see problems that don't happen

["Pro TechWriter" <pro -dot- techwriter -at- gmail -dot- com>]

Interesting thread.

When I went to project management training, it was stressed that we use 6
hours for productive work time in project planning. The instructor told us,
"If you use 8 hours, you will be working 10."  I think he was right :-)

My project plans use 6 to 7 hours for productive time, depending on the
complexity of the project. After that, I add a percentage for "business
risk" depending on a pre-determined list of factors (and other risks) that I
normally use and have validated, such as "remote team," "new technology
base," "distracting enviroment," (good for working in a manufacturing plant,
which I have done). I also add factors that can ameliorate those risks.

If I have very little time to work out the risks, I use a 50/50 plan: I add
back in 50% of the time for business risk. This works about 97% of the time,
but I have pretty detailed metrics to go by.

Just MHO,
PT



On 5/7/07, Gene Kim-Eng <techwr -at- genek -dot- com> wrote:
>
> That would be a good idea if you only have one project to account
> for, but when every person is splitting time between multiple projects,
> an "eight hour project day" may consist of four hours of John, three
> of Mary and one of Bob.  Most projects I plan are based on eight
> hour days, and if I think one's going to require ten hour days, I call
> that eight hours with a 25% overcommit, not a ten hour day.  And
> there's hardly every a time when nobody in the group is overcomitted.
>
> Gene Kim-Eng
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Barbara Philbrick" <caslon -at- alltel -dot- net>
> To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
> Sent: Monday, May 07, 2007 12:11 PM
> Subject: RE: People don't see problems that don't happen
>
>
> > I would go with six-hour days for estimating, depending on your
> > environment.
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-- 
PT
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