Comments on: The “Engineering Estimate” http://alexking.org/blog/2006/08/01/engineering-estimate Alex King's blog - software, photography, sports, etc. Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:38:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 By: Hard Drive Update | alexking.org http://alexking.org/blog/2006/08/01/engineering-estimate#comment-55616 Hard Drive Update | alexking.org Wed, 18 Apr 2007 18:11:28 +0000 http://alexking.org/blog/2006/08/01/engineering-estimate#comment-55616 [...] As a result, I lost about 4 hours driving back and forth and delayed my potential data recovery by 3-4 days. I should have known better - beware the low estimate. [...] […] As a result, I lost about 4 hours driving back and forth and delayed my potential data recovery by 3-4 days. I should have known better - beware the low estimate. […]

]]> By: Revenge of the Nerd » Blog Archive » Time Management http://alexking.org/blog/2006/08/01/engineering-estimate#comment-31729 Revenge of the Nerd » Blog Archive » Time Management Mon, 16 Oct 2006 01:05:22 +0000 http://alexking.org/blog/2006/08/01/engineering-estimate#comment-31729 [...] The first thing you have to do is be straight with your client. Tell them that you are in school and let them know when you are available. Most will be understanding of that. If they aren’t, they probably aren’t the greatest to work with anyway. Once you have done that, see what services you want and give yourself plenty of time to complete them. Over at AlexKing.Org Alex writes about The Engineering Estimate, which explains that engineers (programmers, etc.) usually grossly underestimate the time they need for a project. Alex says that you should take the estimate and: Multiple the integer value by two, Increment the type of time used in the estimate (IE 2 hours = 4 days). If you are doing this type of work in school, you should take that estimate and at least multiply the integer value by 4, along with increment the type of time. This allots you not only enough time for the project, but also unforeseen school work, study time, etc. [...] […] The first thing you have to do is be straight with your client. Tell them that you are in school and let them know when you are available. Most will be understanding of that. If they aren’t, they probably aren’t the greatest to work with anyway. Once you have done that, see what services you want and give yourself plenty of time to complete them. Over at AlexKing.Org Alex writes about The Engineering Estimate, which explains that engineers (programmers, etc.) usually grossly underestimate the time they need for a project. Alex says that you should take the estimate and: Multiple the integer value by two, Increment the type of time used in the estimate (IE 2 hours = 4 days). If you are doing this type of work in school, you should take that estimate and at least multiply the integer value by 4, along with increment the type of time. This allots you not only enough time for the project, but also unforeseen school work, study time, etc. […]

]]> By: Ajay D'Souza http://alexking.org/blog/2006/08/01/engineering-estimate#comment-31223 Ajay D'Souza Sat, 16 Sep 2006 04:49:42 +0000 http://alexking.org/blog/2006/08/01/engineering-estimate#comment-31223 Hey, Thanks for the article. I was really underestimating my design charges. Have updated them. I'm still not sure about picking hourly or projectwise charges, though I guess that will vary depending on the nature of the job. Hey,

Thanks for the article. I was really underestimating my design charges. Have updated them.

I’m still not sure about picking hourly or projectwise charges, though I guess that will vary depending on the nature of the job.

]]> By: jappler.com: great read/podcast. http://alexking.org/blog/2006/08/01/engineering-estimate#comment-30150 jappler.com: great read/podcast. Wed, 02 Aug 2006 17:20:33 +0000 http://alexking.org/blog/2006/08/01/engineering-estimate#comment-30150 [...] On a similar note…I also read Alex King’s blog post today: The “Engineering Estimateâ€? which was also worth taking a few minutes to check out. Just about a year ago today I gave a client a quote for a huge project which ended up being extremely low and cheap. Lesson learned. Now I getting better at giving more accurate quotes as well as making sure I have a statement in my contracts that basically says any work beyond my original quote will be billable so I am not stuck eating the time I failed to properly estimate. [...] […] On a similar note…I also read Alex King’s blog post today: The “Engineering Estimateâ€? which was also worth taking a few minutes to check out. Just about a year ago today I gave a client a quote for a huge project which ended up being extremely low and cheap. Lesson learned. Now I getting better at giving more accurate quotes as well as making sure I have a statement in my contracts that basically says any work beyond my original quote will be billable so I am not stuck eating the time I failed to properly estimate. […]

]]> By: Geof F. Morris http://alexking.org/blog/2006/08/01/engineering-estimate#comment-30144 Geof F. Morris Wed, 02 Aug 2006 16:42:08 +0000 http://alexking.org/blog/2006/08/01/engineering-estimate#comment-30144 I won't even tell you what this looks like in manned spaceflight hardware. :) I won’t even tell you what this looks like in manned spaceflight hardware. :)

]]> By: Morten http://alexking.org/blog/2006/08/01/engineering-estimate#comment-30071 Morten Tue, 01 Aug 2006 23:15:21 +0000 http://alexking.org/blog/2006/08/01/engineering-estimate#comment-30071 A friend of mine works on big coding projects. The other day he said: "Whenever we make a time estimation we always multiply it with pi." I found that quite funny. :) A friend of mine works on big coding projects. The other day he said: “Whenever we make a time estimation we always multiply it with pi.” I found that quite funny. :)

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