Deadlines don't exist

[Contractoid]

They don't. No Really they Don't. Not really....They comprise -

1. The “My boss has given me a delivery deadline (which they made up) because he / she was given a deadline (which in turn their boss made up( etc etc but actually there isn’t ultimately any Deadline, Deadline. Otherwise known as a Chain Nonsense Deadline
2. The “I’m going to make you lot work harder deadline by thinking up a reasonable amount of time to complete the task and halving it Deadline” Otherwise known as the Slave Driving Deadline
3. The “I have been asked for a predicted delivery date so i’ll think of one and double it deadline” Otherwise known as the Covering My Arse Deadline
4. The “We haven’t got a bloody clue how long its going to take, we have to think of something and we want to go home Deadline, Deadline”. Otherwise known as the Made up on a Friday at 5 o clock deadline.

Discuss?

 

[cojak]

Discuss what exactly??

 

[tractor]

..

..

The flying speed of the African Swallow?

The swallowing speed of the African fly?

 

[DiscoStu]

What a strange post.

One example off the top of my head - a customer at a previous client had a system that didn't meet some new reporting requirements of their government and central bank. If we didn't meet the deadline to implement the new system then they would be unable to operate in that country until implementation was complete.

 

[Project Monkey]

"Deadlines don't exist". Yes they do and you've just listed 4 types.

 

[Contractoid]

What a strange post.

One example off the top of my head - a customer at a previous client had a system that didn't meet some new reporting requirements of their government and central bank. If we didn't meet the deadline to implement the new system then they would be unable to operate in that country until implementation was complete.

But who in the government / central bank made up the deadline and why? I'm not saying deadlines should not exist (otherwise nothing would ever get done). I'm just saying ultimately most deadlines in the business world are made up and are usually not life threatening. The world is not going to end if Julie in accounts misses the VAT run deadline. It amuses me how much fuss is made of missed deadlines and individuals chewed out when most of them were the result of guesswork and finger in the air activities.

 

[DiscoStu]

But who in the government / central bank made up the deadline and why? I'm not saying deadlines should not exist (otherwise nothing would ever get done). I'm just saying ultimately most deadlines in the business world are made up and are usually not life threatening. The world is not going to end if Julie in accounts misses the VAT run deadline. It amuses me how much fuss is made of missed deadlines and individuals chewed out when most of them were the result of guesswork and finger in the air activities.

Given that it would have cost the client seven figures a day not to be trading I'd think there would have been quite a lot of fuss.

 

[vetran]

we have to fix the deadlines, hours & project costs within 5% (+/-) at the design gate.

can be quite fun when someone senior changes the design during development.

good, fast and cheap - pick any two.

 

[Contractoid]

Given that it would have cost the client seven figures a day not to be trading I'd think there would have been quite a lot of fuss.

Fair enough. I'm talking about the sort of deadlines that are made up by guesswork (often completely unrealistic) and when not hit there is a completely over the top reaction and ridiculous blame game politics that destroys relationships.

 

[DiscoStu]

Fair enough. I'm talking about the sort of deadlines that are made up by guesswork (often completely unrealistic) and when not hit there is a completely over the top reaction and ridiculous blame game politics that destroys relationships.

So deadlines do exist?