Perhaps Mr. Elliott could provide answers to these questions to our clients, when he suggests that estimates are worthless.
- When are those working demos being sent to production so the business can start earning back their investment?
- How many more working demos will be coming before we can go live with the software I'm paying you to build?
- What's your Estimate to Complete and Estimate at Completion for those working demos for all the Capabilities I need to start down the path to breakeven for the software I'm paying you to build?
- You do have a Product Roadmap, showing where this working demo and all the future working demos fit along the way to DONE ,right?
- You have a Cadence Release Plan (or maybe a Capabilities Release Plan) showing where this working demo fits in to the overall plan that will result in a working production system capable of earning revenue at the rate I need to start the Break even plan my CFO needs to show the Board of Directors at next months board meeting, right?
- Our main investor just called and asked about the revenue rate from the product your showing in these working demos. How many more working demos before we can start shipping the production version of the software he's paying us to build?
Instead of just delivering demos, how about delivering capabilities in an order needed to earn the value in exchange for the cost to produce that value? And do this according the plan described in the Product Roadmap, using the Cadence or Capability Release Plan? That way those paying for the production of value can have confidence they'll be getting their investment returned as needed to fulfill the business plan or accomplish the mission?
