… makes the project even later.”
This insight by Fred Brooks , published in his book “The mythical man month” is now almost 50 years old. And still this fact is so often ignored or even denied – and it’s truth is unfolding on and on again.
There are several reasons behind this fact, here are the two most important ones:
Ramp-up Time: New team members need time to get up to speed. They need to understand the project goals, existing code (if applicable), and communication channels. This initial training period takes away time from existing team members who have to explain things, and doesn’t immediately contribute to completing the project.
Communication Overhead: As the number of people involved increases, communication becomes more complex. More meetings are needed to keep everyone informed, and there’s a greater chance of misunderstandings or conflicting priorities. This can slow down decision-making and overall progress.
I remember one CTO of a big company in Germany who told me: “if a project is late, I reduce the team size!” What sounds odd, could release unexpected positive dynamics!
Try this: if you are late with a project – don’t try harder, put the team under even more pressure, which surely will fail in a complex environment. Instead start your communication about the current risks immediately and negotiate about the deadline, the scope or the quality.
Albrecht Günther 