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Subject:Re[2]: IS AN ESTIMATE A COMMITMENT? From:"Walker, Arlen P" <Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 16 Jun 1998 09:06:23 -0500
I don't think that's fair on the mechanic. It's very likely that the
problems were there because the previous maintenance of the car was
sub-standard, and now that someone thorough is working on it, all the
past errors and omissions are coming to light.
Remember, though, you didn't take the car to the mechanic for a general
overview and diagnostic. You took it there to have a problem fixed. That's
what you're hiring him to do.
It's whole 'nother question if, after fixing the problem you gave him he
hands you a sheet detailing other things he's noticed while working on the
car. I've had that happen, and I appreciate it. What I wouldn't appreciate
is taking my car in for a fix, being told it will take x time and y money,
and then having it end up taking 5x time and 12y money and having the
mechanic fix a whole bunch of things that were unrelated to the problem I
brought the car in for.
And that's what we're talking about. When we say it will take x time to do
something, and it turns out not to, it makes us look like we don't know
what
we're doing. At the very least it marks us as making superficial estimates
which bear only a coincidental resemblance to reality, which means that we
can't be relied upon to give information to project managers. And that's
not professional.
It's really a matter of dependencies: if the job depends on a
well-maintained car/document that only needs some small modification,
you base your estimate on that premise, but you specify that it is
based on such an assumption.
If the specified dependency isn't available, there's every reason to
say that the estimate needs to be revised.
I'll go beyond that. We should make the effort to find out what the
dependencies are before giving an estimate. It's incomplete without that
information; finding out about the dependencies you listed should become
the
top items on your to-do list.
Have fun,
Arlen
Chief Managing Director In Charge, Department of Redundancy Department
DNRC 224
Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- Com
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In God we trust; all others must provide data.
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Opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.
If JCI had an opinion on this, they'd hire someone else to deliver it.
