Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site aesat.UUCP Path: utzoo!aesat!rwh From: rwh@aesat.UUCP (Russ Herman) Newsgroups: net.philosophy Subject: Re: There isn't any "there" here Message-ID: <307@aesat.UUCP> Date: Sun, 16-Dec-84 08:37:57 EST Article-I.D.: aesat.307 Posted: Sun Dec 16 08:37:57 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 16-Dec-84 13:32:48 EST References: <1292@eosp1.UUCP> Organization: AES Data Inc., Mississauga, Ont., CANADA L5N 3C9 Lines: 30 >The issue: > > - Given that, on the basis of almost universal experience, > your client should never believe the (probably optimistic) > software development schedules you announce, how should one > go about communicating accurate schedule information, on > those rare occasionas when one probably has accurate > information to communicate? > Toby Robison (not Robinson!) I think this question really belongs in net.psychology. However, since we don't have any such newsgroup, ... . What it is a instance of is the general question of "How do we build trust?" Essentially, what you are trying to do is build someone's confidence in *their appraisal of your estimate*, rather than *the truth of your estimate*. Thus, if you learn from experience that someone will automatically add 50% to your estimate, go 50% low. If another person can learn gradually, from a string of accurate estimates, that you really mean what you say, then give the actual estimates. If you can supply a long enough string of accurate estimates to build this degree of trust, you're a better planner than most of us :-)! -- ______ Russ Herman / \ {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!aesat!rwh @( ? ? )@ ( || ) The opinions above are strictly personal, and ( \__/ ) do not reflect those of my employer (or even \____/ possibly myself an hour from now.)