Comments on: Discovering the Link Between Effort and Reward http://geeksinboston.com/2009/01/05/discovering-the-link-between-effort-and-reward/ we're here, we're geeks, get used to it Thu, 29 Jul 2010 03:32:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Seth Gordon http://geeksinboston.com/2009/01/05/discovering-the-link-between-effort-and-reward/comment-page-1/#comment-47907 Seth Gordon Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:00:22 +0000 http://geeksinboston.com/?p=46#comment-47907 I've recently started using <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=U&start=10&q=http://www.scribd.com/doc/8998766/Francesco-Cirillo-The-Pomodoro-Technique-v13&ei=QTBmSdrYH4T6MrD6yaIE&usg=AFQjCNEx_NgpFeO6He5jFxUFZJdcei9kEg" rel="nofollow">the Pomodoro Technique</a> to manage my time at my (salaried) job, and been somewhat depressed at how little time I was spending on "real" work. So reading that three billable hours per day is normal for the pros makes me feel better about myself. :-/ I’ve recently started using the Pomodoro Technique to manage my time at my (salaried) job, and been somewhat depressed at how little time I was spending on “real” work. So reading that three billable hours per day is normal for the pros makes me feel better about myself. :-/

]]> By: shimon http://geeksinboston.com/2009/01/05/discovering-the-link-between-effort-and-reward/comment-page-1/#comment-47880 shimon Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:58:51 +0000 http://geeksinboston.com/?p=46#comment-47880 mika: I agree. If you're working for a customer, whether programming or researching or talking on the phone with them, that should be expected (by both parties) to be billable time. And if you need to learn a new language or library to get something done, you should make this clear when planning the work and not try to sweep it under the rug. If you do have uncharged work for a client, just as with anything else that can affect your availability, it is of course your professional responsibility -- and in your longer-term self-interest -- to be honest about it. I wonder what sort of uncharged work a consulting firm would be doing on a regular basis? mika: I agree. If you’re working for a customer, whether programming or researching or talking on the phone with them, that should be expected (by both parties) to be billable time. And if you need to learn a new language or library to get something done, you should make this clear when planning the work and not try to sweep it under the rug.

If you do have uncharged work for a client, just as with anything else that can affect your availability, it is of course your professional responsibility — and in your longer-term self-interest — to be honest about it. I wonder what sort of uncharged work a consulting firm would be doing on a regular basis?

]]> By: mika http://geeksinboston.com/2009/01/05/discovering-the-link-between-effort-and-reward/comment-page-1/#comment-47878 mika Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:59:30 +0000 http://geeksinboston.com/?p=46#comment-47878 I think you are on a dangerous path if you don't make uncharged work-related hours visible to your clients. For example, the uncharged time spent on research is a major part of your technology risk. Making hidden uncharged time visible is just good professional practice, because uncharged time will affect your delivery schedules. I'm just saying this because I have worked in a place where over-optimistic scheduling was the norm. Both billable and unbillable work piled up and clients got angry when even small jobs took long time to get through the pipeline. Frustrated clients contact you more and you have to prioritize work based on urgency, not on importance. The end result was more stress, less outcome and generally unhappy customers. I think you are on a dangerous path if you don’t make uncharged work-related hours visible to your clients. For example, the uncharged time spent on research is a major part of your technology risk. Making hidden uncharged time visible is just good professional practice, because uncharged time will affect your delivery schedules.

I’m just saying this because I have worked in a place where over-optimistic scheduling was the norm. Both billable and unbillable work piled up and clients got angry when even small jobs took long time to get through the pipeline. Frustrated clients contact you more and you have to prioritize work based on urgency, not on importance. The end result was more stress, less outcome and generally unhappy customers.

]]> By: links for 2009-01-06 http://geeksinboston.com/2009/01/05/discovering-the-link-between-effort-and-reward/comment-page-1/#comment-47841 links for 2009-01-06 Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:01:45 +0000 http://geeksinboston.com/?p=46#comment-47841 [...] Geeks in Boston » Discovering the Link Between Effort and Reward (tags: business productivity focus) [...] [...] Geeks in Boston » Discovering the Link Between Effort and Reward (tags: business productivity focus) [...]

]]> By: shimon http://geeksinboston.com/2009/01/05/discovering-the-link-between-effort-and-reward/comment-page-1/#comment-47822 shimon Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:24:16 +0000 http://geeksinboston.com/?p=46#comment-47822 foo: I'm not sure what the circumstances of your odesk deals were, but I don't think setting up an environment is necessarily unethical. If someone is advertising themselves as "Instant VB.NET Solutions" and they charge you for time spent installing VB.NET on their own computers, that's likely bogus. But if a client asks me to research and/or build something that I'm not immediately ready to do, I'll explain that some of my time will be spent setting up and will charge accordingly. A consultant/customer relationship is like any other relationship: if you want it to last, you have to start with honesty and devote time to communicating clearly in order to build trust over time. foo: I’m not sure what the circumstances of your odesk deals were, but I don’t think setting up an environment is necessarily unethical. If someone is advertising themselves as “Instant VB.NET Solutions” and they charge you for time spent installing VB.NET on their own computers, that’s likely bogus. But if a client asks me to research and/or build something that I’m not immediately ready to do, I’ll explain that some of my time will be spent setting up and will charge accordingly.

A consultant/customer relationship is like any other relationship: if you want it to last, you have to start with honesty and devote time to communicating clearly in order to build trust over time.

]]> By: Jason Cianchette http://geeksinboston.com/2009/01/05/discovering-the-link-between-effort-and-reward/comment-page-1/#comment-47819 Jason Cianchette Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:23:26 +0000 http://geeksinboston.com/?p=46#comment-47819 One way to avoid this problem is to charge a daily rate instead of hourly. This is what most large strategy consulting companies do. Another is to charge based on the project. I use the daily method because it helps me focus on just that client for the whole day. One way to avoid this problem is to charge a daily rate instead of hourly. This is what most large strategy consulting companies do. Another is to charge based on the project.

I use the daily method because it helps me focus on just that client for the whole day.

]]> By: Ibod Catooga http://geeksinboston.com/2009/01/05/discovering-the-link-between-effort-and-reward/comment-page-1/#comment-47815 Ibod Catooga Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:07:57 +0000 http://geeksinboston.com/?p=46#comment-47815 It helps always to poop pants. I hightly recommend IT! It helps always to poop pants.

I hightly recommend IT!

]]> By: foo http://geeksinboston.com/2009/01/05/discovering-the-link-between-effort-and-reward/comment-page-1/#comment-47810 foo Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:54:50 +0000 http://geeksinboston.com/?p=46#comment-47810 Sounds like you are ethnical. Unfortunately, there are plenty of idiots out there who are just looking to make a buck. I had idiots on odesk multiple times try to charge me for setting up a dev environment. I mean WTF? Sounds like you are ethnical. Unfortunately, there are plenty of idiots out there who are just looking to make a buck.

I had idiots on odesk multiple times try to charge me for setting up a dev environment. I mean WTF?

]]> By: Reid Young http://geeksinboston.com/2009/01/05/discovering-the-link-between-effort-and-reward/comment-page-1/#comment-47803 Reid Young Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:18:38 +0000 http://geeksinboston.com/?p=46#comment-47803 Heh, this is pretty much the exact post I would have written if I'd followed through on setting up a freelancing blog. I remember one day in particular where I got up early to get work done and, at the end of a long day, realized none of it was billable. I stopped freelancing to focus on a new/different business, and man, I don't miss it. Re: the guy who posted before me, if someone is giving you crap about how many billable hours you can fit in a day, tell them you'd be glad to bill them for emails, phone calls, estimates, contracts, research, and the various other travails of day-to-day freelancing ;) Heh, this is pretty much the exact post I would have written if I’d followed through on setting up a freelancing blog. I remember one day in particular where I got up early to get work done and, at the end of a long day, realized none of it was billable. I stopped freelancing to focus on a new/different business, and man, I don’t miss it.

Re: the guy who posted before me, if someone is giving you crap about how many billable hours you can fit in a day, tell them you’d be glad to bill them for emails, phone calls, estimates, contracts, research, and the various other travails of day-to-day freelancing ;)

]]> By: freelancer http://geeksinboston.com/2009/01/05/discovering-the-link-between-effort-and-reward/comment-page-1/#comment-47802 freelancer Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:58:33 +0000 http://geeksinboston.com/?p=46#comment-47802 I am so glad, u shared this :-) I have been freelancing for a while... and I also had similar realisations about work/productivity/billable hours... I still have a big question in my mind... How should the real fact of max 5-6 hrs a day be advertised to clients... I have had hard time convincing clients(non programmers) that as an average of productive hrs / day even 4 good programmers can not be more than 6 hrs. I get to hear, "I know of a geek who works 16hrs/day ,I have seen them working in friends office to complete stuff in a day or two, so dont bullshit me about productivity, I will rather hire them" . I am really curious about your thoughts/experience for improving productivity hile coding & how to measure productivity and advertise it to people.... When in market, there are plenty of people to fool these clients and spoil the market I am so glad, u shared this :-) I have been freelancing for a while… and I also had similar realisations about work/productivity/billable hours… I still have a big question in my mind… How should the real fact of max 5-6 hrs a day be advertised to clients… I have had hard time convincing clients(non programmers) that as an average of productive hrs / day even 4 good programmers can not be more than 6 hrs. I get to hear, “I know of a geek who works 16hrs/day ,I have seen them working in friends office to complete stuff in a day or two, so dont bullshit me about productivity, I will rather hire them” . I am really curious about your thoughts/experience for improving productivity hile coding & how to measure productivity and advertise it to people…. When in market, there are plenty of people to fool these clients and spoil the market

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