Sorry I'm so late to the conversation. I recently came upon your open design initiatives, and paying specific attention to the timeline got me thinking.
How do you define your deadlines? I mean, to me it seems like an impossible challenge to—at the moment of signing the contract—know that it will take 14 months (or what have you).
Are deadlines usually written in the contract or defined as you go?
What about in case of mandatory deadlines, e.g. "our site needs to be ready for the holidays"? Of course you set out on meeting it or outright say it isn't possible. But what about when the deadline is 8 months away, and you think it will take 7 months, but as it draws closer you realize you'll need 9-10?
In sum, how do you preempt these problems in the beginning, and how do you deal with them if when they appear?
EDIT
One last question: if you do not have a predefined deadline on some projects, how do you decide on cost?
Sorry I'm so late to the conversation. I recently came upon your open design initiatives, and paying specific attention to the timeline got me thinking.
How do you define your deadlines? I mean, to me it seems like an impossible challenge to—at the moment of signing the contract—know that it will take 14 months (or what have you).
Are deadlines usually written in the contract or defined as you go?
What about in case of mandatory deadlines, e.g. "our site needs to be ready for the holidays"? Of course you set out on meeting it or outright say it isn't possible. But what about when the deadline is 8 months away, and you think it will take 7 months, but as it draws closer you realize you'll need 9-10?
In sum, how do you preempt these problems in the beginning, and how do you deal with them
ifwhen they appear?One last question: if you do not have a predefined deadline on some projects, how do you decide on cost?