PlanDelay

JerryWeinberg April 30, 2000

In distributed projects -- or in any project, really -- unplanned delays are a seemingly limitless source of frustration. Since AYE itself is a distributed project, and since we have a detailed email record of almost everything that's happened, it presents a great opportunity to study unplanned delays. This article details some of the delays we've encountered in planning AYE, and how we dealt with them.

This is fun to read, and to understand. But am I fooling myself that this stuff is actually useful to know? I'm not sure I will be able to think that these ideas even exist when I have need for them. What can I use as triggers? How, for instance, can I tell perfectionism from simply a high quality standard for my own work? Dick Karpinski

Jerry replies: Dick, you can learn to create your own triggers, ones that fit well for you. See my book, The Secrets of Consulting for some tips on how to do this.
Fine answer! Thanks. I have read it and plan to do that again, soon. It was great fun the first time and I clearly need to renew the effects on myself. Besides, it has your Law of Twins which I have traded on for many years, if I recall correctly. Dick Karpinski

You mention several fields that have application here, but how about a hint for where to learn just enough about Asset Control Systems or Risk Analysis to be useful? Naturally, I'm enchanted by the prospect that this very page might serve that function. Dick Karpinski

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Updated: Thursday, January 18, 2001