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project-managementsdlc

Under-priced projects (tight budget) - what are the characteristics?

I'm trying to determine some of the markers that indicate a project of limited resources.

In my experience a project becomes a ‘limited resources’ project because someone was desperate to sell a solution to a client. The results is a tight budget, features are culled and SDLC processes are cut to a minimum. These short-cuts are taken so the company has some chance of making a profit or even breaking even.

This is a list of things which I have seen go hand-in-hand with a project of limited resources:

  • Bare minimum amount of time allotted to QA
  • Strict bureaucratic process for off-spec work
  • Change request budget may be small or non-existent
  • Formalised processes get dropped in favour of using time for development
  • No time available for value-add QA like content checking (e.g. grammar or spelling errors in text).
  • Can’t do any content management or data entry for client
  • Have to go for ‘good enough’ coding solutions
  • No time allowance for hallway usability testing.
  • no budget for writing user documentation or manuals.
  • Generally no time for technology research before coding
  • No time to produce a risk analysis document
  • A production check-list may be used instead of a project schedule.
  • The is no time for a programmer to fill their ‘actual’ times vs. estimated times in the project schedule.
  • Progress updates given to clients may be less frequent or very basic
  • Less time is available to spend on understanding the clients business domain
  • Programmers may have to work unpaid overtime.
  • No time allotted for a project post-mortem

What other sure signs are there for a limited resources project?

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EDIT

i will try clear up some of the confusion with an example. this is what i mean: the client is given a proposal/quote saying their project will cost $20k. the client then comes back and says "sorry, my budget is $16k maximum". the boss says "make the proposal $16k - we want this work".

so, effectively, you have to do a project with less budget then it should have. there are boundaries where it becomes ridiculous - if the client was to say "my budget is $4k" then you couldnt possibly do it.

and yes, sometimes a tight budget can become so silly that it was a bad business decision to accept the project in the first place (i.e. doomed project).

i understand that there is no such thing as a project with unlimited budget. often business people make the decision whether a project should be undertaken (a business person often isnt a project manager).

Solution

  • What you are talking about is not a 'limited resources' project, but instead a rushed and unplanned project.

    A few items in your list I take issue with:

    • Strict bureaucratic process for off-spec work
    • Change request budget may be small or non-existent

    Actually, these should be the norm for most projects. Who's requesting and paying for the changes, you or the client?

    • Can’t do any content management or data entry for client
    • No budget for writing user documentation or manuals.

    If that's not part of the contract, why are you doing it?

    • Have to go for ‘good enough’ coding solutions

    At some point, you have to stop at 'good enough', or else you are going to be polishing from now until the end of time.

    Something I would add to your list are:

    • Office supplies become scarce or go under lock and key.
    • Corporate supplied food/beverages disappear
    • Down time disappears. 100% of your time on your time sheet must be dedicated to project work.
    • The printer/photocopier is running full-bore printing other staff member's resumes.
    • The Boss' door is shut for 90% of the day.