Are the people planned for this task really available?

Article#: 00052

Date: 2021-02-11

Author: Radim

Make sure you understand how much effective time you can really expect from team members.
When planning how much time a person will take to complete a task and by when the task will be done, consider that vacations, training courses, illnesses and workloads from other projects can reduce the person's engagement to our project.
Also, don't underestimate the time that administrative tasks can take.

Are the planned people available exclusively for our project or do they also have obligations in other projects?
What percentage do team members have available for our project?
What happens to our plan if the other projects will preferably require more commitment from the team members?

© Radim-Automation, 2020–2025. All rights reserved.
Sharing of this article is permitted with proper attribution (link to the original page).

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• Prepare a good project plan and keep it up to date!
• Is the way really the goal?
• Do you really want to start with this?
• I can see what you can not see
• Do the right things and do them right!
• Write a project diary!
• Keep the answers to the question "Why"
• Everything is difficult until it becomes easy
• Realize every good idea ASAP!
• Get and stay in the flow!
• Stay alert!
• Have an expert on hand!
• Assign tasks efficiently!
• Don't replace employees in the middle of the project!
• Develop a sense of responsibility!
• Recruit and retain the best employees!
• Get the things done with a small, motivated team!
• Focus on target!
• Multitasking is harmful
• Avoid overly optimistic estimates!
• 9 women can't make a baby in a month
• Sharpen your axe before you start felling!
• Understand - Agree - Be Identified - Believe
• Don't leave a work package half-finished!
• Don't neglect and don't skip any step!

Related next articles:

• Appoint a representative!
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• Project leader
• My boss was a hero
• Version control system
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Comment#: 00001

Date: 2022-10-22

User: Radim

"What can't you do because you're doing this? This is especially important for small teams with constrained resources.
That's when prioritization is even more important. If you work on A, can you still do B and C before April? If not, would you rather have B and C instead of A? If you're stuck on something for a long period of time, that means there are other things you're not getting done."
- Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson. 37signals (2010). Rework.

Comment#: 00002

Date: 2022-12-02

User: Radim

"I also recommend that you always only plan for the coming week or the coming day. Your advantage? You can react more flexibly to the unforeseen and at the same time have an overview of everything current.
When planning, take into account your overarching corporate goals, the fixed dates and your individual to-dos from the task list. Plan realistically and rather conservatively, because experience has shown that we overestimate the time that is available to us every day. And at the same time, we underestimate anything that we can do over a longer period of time."
Translated from:
- Gabriele Thies. 8 Wege, um deine Aufgaben sinnvoll zu strukturieren.
- https://www.gabrielethies.de/blog/aufgaben-sinnvoll-strukturieren

Comment#: 00003

Date: 2023-07-11

User: Radim

"New risks are also emerging in automated production, because who will restart a plant or even just a machine if the staff responsible for it at the time of shutdown are no longer working in the same plant. The transfer of knowledge, for example about the last software versions or settings, becomes indispensable. If you do not have the processes and the right solution in place, you risk everything. At this point, trends such as deploying increasing amounts of robots can only help to a limited extent, because even robots are dependent on updates and a certain level of maintenance."
- Curated by Statista, supported by octoplant by AUVESY-MDT. No Fatalism in Manufacturing. Exciting Insights from Leading Studies. (Page 5)
- https://info.auvesy-mdt.com/hubfs/Statista%20ePaper%20EN%20-%20AUVESY-MDT.pdf

Comment#: 00004

Date: 2023-08-17

User: Radim

Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time, but always enough time to do it over?

"The saying "There's never enough time to do it right the first time, but always enough time to do it over" reflects a common observation about human behavior and project management. It suggests that people often rush through tasks or projects initially, hoping to save time and effort, but end up making mistakes or producing subpar results. As a result, they eventually need to invest more time and resources to fix those mistakes or redo the work properly.

There are several reasons why this phenomenon occurs:

1. Underestimation of Complexity: People might underestimate the complexity or difficulty of a task or project at the outset. This can lead to inadequate planning and allocation of resources, resulting in mistakes or oversights.

2. Pressure to Meet Deadlines: There is often pressure to complete tasks or projects quickly to meet deadlines. This can lead to shortcuts being taken or important steps being skipped in the interest of saving time.

3. Lack of Attention to Detail: When rushing through a task, individuals might not pay enough attention to details, leading to errors that require corrections later.

4. Overconfidence: Sometimes, people might overestimate their abilities or knowledge, leading them to believe they can complete a task quickly without proper preparation or diligence.

5. Incomplete Information: In some cases, tasks or projects might be started without having all the necessary information or requirements. This can lead to incorrect assumptions and decisions.

6. Limited Resources: Constraints on resources such as time, money, or manpower might force people to cut corners initially, with the intention of fixing things later when more resources are available.

7. Learning Curve: Sometimes, tasks involve new skills or technologies that individuals need to learn along the way. Initial attempts might be suboptimal as people are still acquiring the necessary expertise.

The saying serves as a reminder that investing the necessary time and effort upfront to do a task properly can save more time and resources in the long run. Proper planning, attention to detail, and thorough execution can help prevent mistakes and the need for redoing work.

However, it's worth noting that the saying is not universally true. In some cases, rushing through tasks might yield acceptable results, and redoing work might not be necessary. It all depends on the nature of the task, the level of expertise involved, and the specific circumstances."

- https://chat.openai.com (Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time, but always enough time to do it over?)

Comment#: 00006

Date: 2023-10-04

User: Radim

"Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow."
- Plato

Comment#: 00008

Date: 2024-01-05

User: Radim

Let's speed things up!

One man needs one hour to dig a hole 1 meter deep, 1 meter wide and 1 meter long. How much time does it take if you engage 10 men?

ChatGPT: "If one man can dig a hole that is 1 meter deep, 1 meter wide, and 1 meter long in one hour, and you have 10 men working simultaneously, you can divide the time by the number of men to find the total time it takes for the group to complete the task.

So, it would take 1 hour / 10 men = 0.1 hours (or 6 minutes) for the group of 10 men to dig the hole."

Do you agree with ChatGPT's answer?