Aim for 80% Milestone, and then buffer for 20%
If the last 20% of a project is usually the hardest, why do we not then plan just for the first 80% and let time and space buffer be used for the remaining 20% ?
Pareto principle lays the idea that the 80% of outcomes comes from 20% of the effort. This principle is now broadly adopted in productivity, business, and in Technology : the first 80% of a task is relatively “easy”, and the final 20% is disproportionately difficult. Most projects end up getting delayed due to the last 20% when the group working on the project are on the final stretch. This has become so common that this derivative of Pareto principle is widely quoted and understood by all.
Projects and engagements continue to get delayed. Knowing the Pareto principle does not really help in this case. If the first 80% is not the hardest part, then likely it could be “predictable” - this means, one can set clear milestones and expectations around the first 80%. One should be able to commit to a time when the first 80% is going to be complete. So the questions we should be asking before starting a project: “What does the 80% completion look like in a Project”, “When do we know we have completed around 80% of the work required”. If we cannot clearly identify the first 80%, then likely that is the first thing we need to focus on. Knowledge of the first 80% should be the initial set of affairs for an individual or a group to resolve.
The last 20% is the hardest, it is the one when things can go wrong and plans can go awry. For this last 20% that cannot be predicted, the convenient option could be that one creates time and space buffer for unplanned. The goal here is to create enough cushion for the individual or group to fail and recover in this last 20%. As we may not likely how long the last 20% takes, it makes more relevant to setup “time” and “effort” based constraints:
How do we achieve the last 20% if we have 30% less people or effort involved ?
How do we achieve the last 20% if we have a fixed timeline ?
Instead of making the last 20% completely open ended, we focus on creating creative constraints - budget, time, effort, space and anything relevant. The goal here is to ensure we can manage the impact of the last 20% being the longest and painful, and solve it by applying relevant constraints to it.
Good luck getting to 100% !