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How to buy out time for new projects in case all resources are packed?

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Prashant Sonwane Sr. Program Manager| Winjit Technologies Pvt Ltd Nashik, Maharashtra, India
This question is related to IT

Many times it happens that all developers were planned with project deadlines and there won't be scope for new project execution, on other side Sales team brings the new project, in that situation how to accommodate new projects and how to buy time from clients?

P.S. This situation mainly arises at mid-level IT company size 10-60 resources.
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Liana Underwood National Capital Region, Va, United States
HI Prashant, If I'm reading your question right, you're asking - how do we get time from the developers who are working on billable projects to help scope out the 'to be' work? Developers shouldn't be 100% billable, the better guideline here is 80%, that leaves 20% free for vacation, training, meetings, and proposal support. If you've got resources booked to capacity, the organization is endangering the pipeline of future work.
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1 reply by Prashant Sonwane
Apr 25, 2017 2:05 AM
Prashant Sonwane
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Thanks for your valuable inputs Liana. I can understand your point and agreed that developers shouldn't be billable 100%.
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Sonali Malu Maharashtra, India
some ways to buy time and to keep client calm for few days:

1. Involve customer in some decision making process like selection of framework, approach, testing strategies, environment setup, etc. Client would be engaged in some of the activities and would not focus on non-productivity
2. Create a prototype (if possible) by using some junior resources. Client usually get a sense of work accomplished when some Prototype is displayed
3. Add few resources and start the work. Convey to the client that more resources are expected in another 1-2 weeks
4. Identify re-usable components of historical projects and see if you can use it to quickly start the work with less number of resources
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1 reply by Prashant Sonwane
Apr 25, 2017 2:06 AM
Prashant Sonwane
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Thank you for your valuable inputs Sonali.
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Ruben Dario Abello Medina PM Specialist| Barranquilla Barranquilla, Atlantico, Colombia
it is a dangerous situation if current projects are not closer to finish

There are some ways to buy an extra time, as Liana and Sonali says, check the resource calendars, check if you can adjust to reduce percent of some of your resource, but be carefull and keep on mind that project would be extensive in time too.
Search for tools to reduce time in current project to release resource as quick as you can
and think too in third party to help you
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1 reply by Prashant Sonwane
Apr 25, 2017 2:08 AM
Prashant Sonwane
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Thanks Ruben for your valuable inputs.
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Vincent Guerard Coach - Trainer - Speaker - Advisor| Freelance Mont-Royal, Quebec, Canada
Hi Prashant,
If I understand correctly, you have a team that are assign to project 100% of their time. That is a dangerous situation by itself. Liane suggestion of 80% is very good.

Options is to stall the client, try to gather more clarification .... Hire more ressources to reach the 80% of billable time.
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1 reply by Prashant Sonwane
Apr 25, 2017 2:09 AM
Prashant Sonwane
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Thank you Vincent for your valuable inputs.
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Lonnie Pacelli Author & President| ProjectManagementAdvisor.com Bellevue, Wa, United States
This is a case of priority management. There's only so many hours in a day and sometimes difficult choices need to be made. Have a clear agreed upon prioritized list with stakeholders and management and show how resources are being consumed against the projects.
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1 reply by Prashant Sonwane
Apr 25, 2017 2:10 AM
Prashant Sonwane
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Thank you Lonnie for your valuable inputs.
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Prashant Sonwane Sr. Program Manager| Winjit Technologies Pvt Ltd Nashik, Maharashtra, India
Apr 24, 2017 9:16 AM
Replying to Liana Underwood
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HI Prashant, If I'm reading your question right, you're asking - how do we get time from the developers who are working on billable projects to help scope out the 'to be' work? Developers shouldn't be 100% billable, the better guideline here is 80%, that leaves 20% free for vacation, training, meetings, and proposal support. If you've got resources booked to capacity, the organization is endangering the pipeline of future work.
Thanks for your valuable inputs Liana. I can understand your point and agreed that developers shouldn't be billable 100%.
avatar
Prashant Sonwane Sr. Program Manager| Winjit Technologies Pvt Ltd Nashik, Maharashtra, India
Apr 24, 2017 12:33 PM
Replying to Sonali Malu
...
some ways to buy time and to keep client calm for few days:

1. Involve customer in some decision making process like selection of framework, approach, testing strategies, environment setup, etc. Client would be engaged in some of the activities and would not focus on non-productivity
2. Create a prototype (if possible) by using some junior resources. Client usually get a sense of work accomplished when some Prototype is displayed
3. Add few resources and start the work. Convey to the client that more resources are expected in another 1-2 weeks
4. Identify re-usable components of historical projects and see if you can use it to quickly start the work with less number of resources
Thank you for your valuable inputs Sonali.
avatar
Prashant Sonwane Sr. Program Manager| Winjit Technologies Pvt Ltd Nashik, Maharashtra, India
Apr 24, 2017 5:18 PM
Replying to Ruben Dario Abello Medina
...
it is a dangerous situation if current projects are not closer to finish

There are some ways to buy an extra time, as Liana and Sonali says, check the resource calendars, check if you can adjust to reduce percent of some of your resource, but be carefull and keep on mind that project would be extensive in time too.
Search for tools to reduce time in current project to release resource as quick as you can
and think too in third party to help you
Thanks Ruben for your valuable inputs.
avatar
Prashant Sonwane Sr. Program Manager| Winjit Technologies Pvt Ltd Nashik, Maharashtra, India
Apr 24, 2017 6:27 PM
Replying to Vincent Guerard
...
Hi Prashant,
If I understand correctly, you have a team that are assign to project 100% of their time. That is a dangerous situation by itself. Liane suggestion of 80% is very good.

Options is to stall the client, try to gather more clarification .... Hire more ressources to reach the 80% of billable time.
Thank you Vincent for your valuable inputs.
avatar
Prashant Sonwane Sr. Program Manager| Winjit Technologies Pvt Ltd Nashik, Maharashtra, India
Apr 24, 2017 6:54 PM
Replying to Lonnie Pacelli
...
This is a case of priority management. There's only so many hours in a day and sometimes difficult choices need to be made. Have a clear agreed upon prioritized list with stakeholders and management and show how resources are being consumed against the projects.
Thank you Lonnie for your valuable inputs.
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