My current manager was asking the other day why we had to work so much overtime on the first version of the product (it seems that all the overtime on the second and third version had already been forgotten). Since the manager was also a developer on that same product at the time, I was completely mystified. It seems that the manager is destined to repeat past mistakes. (Here is the formula, just in case you forgot as well: too many features in too little time with too few resources.)

Bottom line is that overtime, whether on a daily, weekly, montly or yearly (yes, yearly) basis is poison to any project or product. If you want to fail, then work the troops too hard.

We also have off shore resources that we use. It always makes me wonder why they think we here in North America are going to be sharp in such meetings when they start at 9 pm at night, especially since we've already put in a 9 or 10 hour day. Folks are winding down at 9 pm, not winding up.

I think the solution is to eliminate most management since they obviously don't get it. Don't get me wrong, I've had a good manager who understood these things. I guess 1 out of 10 ain't bad eh?