Red Warrior's Journal: Everybody should have such problems {PM}

I need to finish my Implementation Plan next week. Because we decided to move up our preproduction move by two weeks to Feb 1. Because we really couldn't see a good reason not to[1]. We can't change our actual production move because our shared security service and some mainframe stuff we rely on in another area all need to move together. But WE are ahead of schedule.

We've budgetted 275 hours for our mainframe guy. To date, 147 used, Being overly pessimistic, and testing rigorously, we have maybe 60-70 hours of work left. Work being defined VERY loosely. In fact, he will move his mainframe and messaging changes to preprod either late next week, or early the week after. Then just be on call.

We budgetted 640 hours for the dotNetguy. He's sitting at 176. And sees no problem (or need for overtime, or even full time) with the 1 Feb move. In fact, he has asked if it is OK to split his time with a project for another group. Looking at his progress, I agreed.

So we will be at least 350 contractor hours ahead of budget. Which translates to $BIG_NUM (about 43% of the budget). And it could be a bit more. :-)

How often is it that you get to go to your weekly meeting with your boss and ask "Uhm... Is it OK if we're WAY under budget on this?"

Scotty rocks. Multiple scotties is series really rock. :-)
As do competent programmers. And those who let them program.

A very pleasant first project to manage. Not necessarily the BEST (as there are a lot of things that just haven't been issues, and thus haven't needed to be dealt with, and thus not all the possible "learning experiences".), but definitely pleasant. The contractors look good, I look good, the boss is happy, the other boss who gets bailed out is happy, and we save the taxpayers a few $$.

In other news, I go to Dallas for the Reserves tomorrow, but my class in Feb in Wisconson has been cancelled (no enrollees). They offered my the right of first refusal to teach the April (which is FULL. Huh) one in Chicago. So I refused first. ;->

[1] Actually, we couldn't see a good reason not to move it a week earlier than that, but underpromise & overdeliver. Slop time is GOOD.

Spare time in Dallas?

[johndiii]

If so, I'll buy you a beer or something, if you're interested. Email my nick at gmail if so. Whereabouts in the Dallas area?

Re:

[Red Warrior]

See Gmail.
But if you compose a sonnet to my eyes, you get a knuckle sandwich, Capisce? :-)

[Beloved] My blackened eyes and split lip

[nizo]

hehe

Re:

[johndiii]

Sorry, but there's only one person occupying my sonnet-writing just now. And it ain't you. :-)

Re:

[Kymermosst]

Oh man, that was the funniest thing I've read all day.

Thanks!

Sometimes being under is not good either...

[helicobacter]

While it may not be an issue in your current situation, sometimes coming in ahead of schedule and under budget isn't a good thing. It shows there was a problem in your estimates and your planning. The real goal of Project Management is to be as accurate as possible -- sometimes we're over, sometimes we're under, but we strive to be as on target as we can.

Worst case scneario on this type of thing is upper management starts to think you overestimate on everything and then gives you less time and less budget

Re:

[Red Warrior]

Point taken. :-)

Actually, I WAS worried about being so much under. Hence the conversation with my manager.
I didn't come up with the estimate, but still "my project". AND it HAS been much easier than projected or expected.

However, the concern is that if you don't use all your money & time, they don't give you as much next time is very real in my environment. Especially when the people who control the purse strings (legislators, in this case) are several degrees removed from the work.

I wasn't willing to j