Laws on Project Work

GORDON'S FIRST LAW

If a research project is not worth doing at all, it is not worth doing well.

NONRECIPROCAL LAWS OF EXPECTATIONS

Negative expectations yield negative results. Positive expectations yield negative results.

HOWE'S LAW

Every man has a scheme that will not work.

SKINNER'S CONSTANT (FLANAGAN'S FINAGLING FACTOR)

That quantity which, when multiplied by, divided by, added to, or subtracted from the answer you get, gives you the answer you should have got.

MAIER'S LAW

If the facts do not conform to the theory, they must be disposed of.

THE GOLDEN RULE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Whoever has the gold makes the rules.

THE NINETY-NINETY RULE OF PROJECT SCHEDULES

The first 90 % of the task takes 90 % of the time, and the last 10% takes the other 90 %

HOARE'S LAW OF LARGE PROBLEMS

Inside every large problem is a small problem struggling to get out.

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bboett@inforezo.u-strasbg.fr