Fictionlet
To: Brigid
From: Mandy
Subject: Document Estimate
We need an estimate on creating a document; please get this in by COB today. Thanks.
To: Mandy
From: Brigid
Subject: re: Document Estimate
Details, please. What kind of document, what is it for?
To: Brigid
From: Mandy
Subject: re: re: Document Estimate
It’s for a proposal. Don’t worry, this is just an estimate, we won’t hold you to it. Please get this in for COB today.
To: Mandy
From: Brigid
Subject: re: re: re: Document Estimate
I’ve heard “we won’t hold you to it” before. Please give me more details; I can’t give you a reliable estimate with all these unknown variables.
To: Brigid
From: Mandy
Subject: re: re: re: re: Document Estimate
Can you detail the unknown variables you’re referring to?
To: Mandy
From: Brigid
Subject: re: re: re: re: re: Document Estimate
Please specify which unknown variable you would like details on.
To: Brigid
From: Mandy
Subject: re: re: re: re: re: Document Estimate
I don’t have time for push-back on this. It’s due by COB today.
To: Mandy
From: Brigid
Subject: re: re: re: re: re: re: Document Estimate
Fine. The document will take 100 hours.
To: Brigid
From: Mandy
Subject: re: re: re: re: re: re: Document Estimate
100 hours is a completely unreasonable estimate for this project. We’re looking for something like 4 hours.
To: Mandy
From: Brigid
Subject: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Document Estimate
If you knew the number you wanted, why did you even ask me?
To: Brigid
From: Mandy
Subject: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Document Estimate
Because the creation of documents is your department’s role. We have to have your sign-off on the estimate. So, 4 hours to create a document? This is due COB today.
To: Mandy
From: Brigid
Subject: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Document Estimate
Until you tell me more about this document, I’m standing by my 100 hour estimate. How long is it? Three pages or 300? How many collaborators are involved? Is it a pamphlet, a book, a website, what?
To: Brigid
From: Mandy
Subject: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Document Estimate
I am very upset by how uncooperative you are being. This thing is due COB today, why are you wasting time! I told you 100 hours was completely unreasonable. Please revise your estimate to 4 hours.
To: Mandy
From: Brigid
Subject: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Document Estimate
My estimate is 200 hours.
To: Brigid
From: Mandy
Subject: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Document Estimate
Why are you doing this??? It’s COB now I’m putting in that you estimated 4 hours.
To: Mandy
From: Brigid
Subject: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Document Estimate
Why won’t you tell me what it is??? And I want it on the record that I did not estimate 4 hours.
To: Brigid
From: Frank
Subject: Way Over Budget
Why did you charge 35 hours on this document? According to the proposal, it should have been 4 hours. Please be ready to explain in a meeting at 2:30.
To: Frank
From: Brigid
Subject: re: Way Over Budget
Please see attached.
To: Brigid
From: Frank
Subject: re: re: Way Over Budget
I don’t see the issue. It looks to me like it should have taken four hours.
To: Brigid
From: Facilities
Subject: Broken Chair/Window
Please do not throw any more chairs out windows. It is very dangerous and expensive to replace.
