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Subject:IS AN ESTIMATE A COMMITMENT? From:Anthony Markatos <tonymar -at- HOTMAIL -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 12 Jun 1998 08:58:31 PDT
To All Technical Writers:
Is an estimate supposed to be a commitment (i.e, a promise to work
"whatever hours necessary" to meet the date)? I have always read that
an estimate is just that - an estimate. And that estimates are meant to
be revised as new data becomes available. JoAnn Hackos says such in her
book on documentation project management.
Problem is that many managers try to equate estimate with moral
commitment. They say that, once an estimate is made, we must meet the
dates come hell or high water. They imply that if we do not meet our
"commitments", we bring shame upon ourselves (not to mention bad
performance reviews). I think that this is silly (and a trick to try
and get a lot of free overtime). Process maturity is about maintaining
adult-to-adult relationships if it is about anything. And adults
realize that estimating is a very iterative process - subject to
frequent revisions.
What do you think?
Tony Markatos
(tonymar -at- hotmail -dot- com)
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