I haven’t had a customer ask this one… yet, but here’s my planned answer and some material for thoughts about contingencies and possible pitfalls…
A: Per our last meeting, here’s the time management plan.
B: Can you define time for me?
A: …
A: Time is the process by which entropy is increased.
B: Right. So, how much entropy will the project create?
A: …
A: I don’t know.
B: Can you draw up an entropy management plan for me?
A: Right.
A: Per our last meeting, here’s the time management plan.
B: Can you define time for me?
A: …
A: Time is the indefinite continued progress of existence and events that occur in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future.[1]
B: Ooooh! That sounds expensive! We need to limit that somehow… and also… irreversible… how pessimistic… you should hire some PR consultant to get a better description of that!
A: Right.
B: Will you have it for our next meeting?
A: Per our last meeting, here’s the time management plan.
B: Can you define time for me?
A: …
A: Time is running out.
A runs out.
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Talkwards 