How to best educate non IT people how time intensive it is?

[LondonManc]

I saw one recently in the form "How long would it take to add a menu option to do [extremely complicated process]?". It was very tempting to reply with "2 minutes".

The menu option would take two minutes!

Exactly what they asked for as well

[DallasDad]

Put your PM hat on for a few minutes with the client.

Most clients have a whiteboard
You provide the post it notes - you always have a pack of those in your handbag don't you?

Do a bit of brainstorming identify the requirements write them down as tasks and estimate elapsed time and have a go at producing a critical path by juggling the post its around till it starts to make sense.

As a first pass it won't capture everything but it will demonstrate and educate all in one.

One of the best trainers I have come across and refer to on site often is Chris Croft

If you do not know what I am on about watch this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr2-...6Qf5tJacXEqbjf

[kaiser78]

At lot of the time it is the process and governance that needs to be undertaken in order things done that adds the delay, rather than task itself.

I have worked in organisations where it can take 2 months to build a VM server due to the process/governance required, whereas the actual VM creation and config can be done in 1/2day easily. Trying though to explain this and the reasons why to non-tech stakeholders or even tech stakeholders for that matter can be a tough sell.

[DallasDad]

I have worked in organisations where it can take 2 months to build a VM server due to the process/governance required, whereas the actual VM creation and config can be done in 1/2day easily.

I worked for that client at HP as well once!

[MrMarkyMark]

This might be an oddball but a serious question in reality.

When faced with non IT clients that have asked you to build a complex system that is just an idea in their mind and they really believe that you can deliver in two weeks, what do you find working best educating them?

Please keep this on topic.


Client has his education from films and genuinely thinks software development looks like this

Break down all the tasks and assign times to them.
Try and illustrate it showing the amounts of people involved, the cooperation, the timescales for their deliveries to you etc.