Of course, I’m being facetious. Even when it comes to estimating how long I’ll be sick for, I’m off.
I think underestimating how long you’ll be sick is healthy however, and allows for the optimism of radiant health to help you get better. But, underestimating how long a project that you’re being paid for is potentially very bad news indeed.
I’m still sick, not lying in bed, but fuzzy headed and cranky, so not really up for a major analysis. Here are a few thoughts:
Incidentals: When estimating the number of hours something will take, don’t forget the incidentals.
- CASUAL communication: The 25 emails that take 3 min each to write, but actually took 10 minutes to think about. The 25 emails that were just cursory replies, that took no time to think about, but that took up time nonetheless. Same goes for uploading mockups or any ftping.
- UNOFFICIAL Review / Problem Solving of Project: This takes a lot of mental time too. That you might be thinking about a client project while walking the dog, taking a shower, doing the NY times crossword puzzle on Sunday morning (with hopefully croissants and jam at the ready). Of course, you have allotted official review time for any project you take on. But, I find anyhow, you can’t just shut your brain off while chowing down on croissants. In fact, the unique combination of sugar and fat and the challenge of the NYT puzzle may be just what it takes to bring that shining “AHA” moment into being. But on your spreadsheet, you forgot to add in that hour.
- VALUE – Last night I saw a youth symphony perform the Nutcracker. Delightful. The conductor said what a pleasure it was to conduct for young minds for whom it was their first introduction to this music. And that , having performed it over 300 times himself, he liked being on the conducting end better. I don’t know what his salary is, but I bet it’s not only contingent on the 2 hours he conducted that specific concert. The value he brings, is of course, those 300+hours. That’s true for any kind of expertise someone in the design or any services industry brings to a project. Not exactly sure how to quantify value into a number that relates to how much time it takes, but I’ll let you know when I do.
- Add up how many hours you think it will take and double it. Or, if you’re the type who tends to underestimate, then triple them.
Off to take various vitamins and whatnot to get rid of this congestion.
Cheers,