How long does a custom project take?
Almost every overrun has the same cause, and it is not development speed.
The real cause
Waiting for decisions, content, access or feedback. A developer waiting three days for an answer costs three calendar days without a line of code.
What you can do
Appoint one person who decides, with the mandate to do so. A project with four decision-makers and no clear hierarchy takes twice as long.
Budget for testing
Testing is not an end-of-project formality. That is where the surprises are, and it is the most underestimated phase.
Deliver in pieces
A project delivered in one go after six months is a gamble. Delivering in stages lets you correct course and see sooner what it actually becomes.
The practical rule
Ask your supplier what they need from you and when. A schedule containing only their own tasks is incomplete by design.
