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Do not confuse duration with Work . E.g. it takes three days for a Snail-mail letter to arrive from point A to point B, whereas the work put into mailing it may be 0.5 hours.

Strictly speaking, the phrase ''Duration of terminal element X is 5 days'' is incomplete. It fails to specify the following:
  • the Probability with which the completion is expected in the time allotted (since any estimate is only a prediction about the uncertain future, see Critical Chain )

  • the Resources to be used (sometimes using more resources or different resources speeds things up)

  • the assumptions which were made

  • the author of the estimation

  • the date the estimate was made

  • the work schedule of the resources

  • etc.


So the improved statement could read:
I, Marek Kowalczyk, as of 27 March 2005 strongly believe that if I fully applied myself to competing terminal element X and worked 8 hours a day every day, including holidays, and had all the materials at hand, then I would have completed it in 5 calendar days.


It may seem unwieldy to use such complicated statements, but lack of detail often leads to misunderstanding.


SEE ALSO