Posted by Bone Ur on 11/02/07 04:11

Well bust mah britches and call me cheeky, on Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:15:47
GMT asdf scribed:

>>>> As the key decision-maker at your web development company, how do
>>>> you handle situations like work overload, short-term staff
>>>> shortages, etc? How do you plan to tackle the upcoming holiday
>>>> season's increased workload?
>>>
>>> When in trouble
>>> When in doubt
>>> Run in circles
>>> Scream and shout
>>
>> When in trouble,
>> Do not sob.
>> Go out drinking,
>> And quit the job.
>>
>
> This all reminds me of a very old joke that my old boss years ago used
> to tell whenever we told him we were running over schedule:
>
> Q. What does an IT professional do when they see light at the end of
> the tunnel?
> A. Extend the tunnel.
>
>:))
>
> Seriously... given a staff shortage and no prospect of recruitment,
> one has little choice but to not over-commit oneself in the first
> place.
>
> If however, one finds oneself over-committed, there is little one can
> do other than attempt to renegotiate timelines and deliverables with
> affected clients. If the staff shortage is *that* bad, they most
> likely will not be able to find another supplier anyway. I have found
> that if you are honest with clients and explain the situation clearly,
> most are understanding and accomodating. If not, who needs them
> anyway- there's no shortage of clients if you are good at what you do.
> Sometimes you will find yourself in a situation where you need to
> manage your losses, and bail out if possible. It's unfortunate, but
> we've all been there at some time or another.
>
> Whatever you do, you should NOT:
>
> a) panic
> b) smoke too much / take up smoking again
> c) drink yourself to oblivion / fall off the wagon
> d) get grumpy or depressed
> e) eat too much chocolate or burgers
> f) over-extend your workforce. They'll just leave, leaving *you* with
> even less production capacity.
>
> One should always attempt, when writing development agreements and
> contracts to provide 'staged withdrawl' clauses and conditions for all
> parties concerned at defined project milestones. That way the supplier
> *and* the client have opportunities to back out of a project
> gracefully and without ill will, hopefully leaving the client with
> something of value. One should never write an agreement or contract
> that one is not 100% willing or able to fulfill IMO.
>
> Minimise your risk.
>
> Sometimes (and this is something I still have trouble with), it's good
> to say 'No' to a client in order to ensure quality and reputation.
>
> Another trick... if possible, make sure you over-estimate the time it
> takes to do things for a client at the outset. That way, when you get
> finished before schedule, you and your company look good. :)

Lots of good suggestions, the last of which I've always done, probably by
intuition. However, I'm guilty of a), b), d), e), and a little f). But
I've really cut down on picking my nose and eating it. :)

--
Bone Ur
Cavemen have formidable pheromones.

[Back to original message]