I.
Here is the following situation: I have to complete certain tasks in a given time-frame but according to even the most promising estimations, I would not be able to do that.
II.
So is there any solution to this classic problem?
Here is what comes to my mind:
- do the tasks with a very poor quality but have them completed on time;
- get extra time by "squeezing oneself" as much as possible - sleeping less, drinking coffee, etc;
- "buy time" with money - hire somebody to help with your work;
- collaborate with somebody else who is doing the same tasks;
- do some of the tasks in a new way which would take less time, i.e. adopt an innovation or invent one.
III.
Let's say in my situation the last one is the only option.
Here comes the actual question.
To make it clear I will illustrate it by an example: Let's say I need to enter text into the PC everyday and that takes me 3 hours. I need to have that done in 2 hours. I spend some time to think what innovation possibly exists to help me spend less time on that.
I come up with the idea that learning to touch type on an alternative keyboard layout would save me considerable amount of time.
But how much indeed? And how much would it take me to learn the new layout?
I list the estimations I need to make:
(a) I need to do some research on the existing keyboard layout alternatives;
(b) I need to think about the logic behind each of them and compare them;
(c) I also should look for and read reviews by users who have switched to them;
(d) once I choose one I must to look for, choose, download, install and learn software to re-arrange the standard keyboard layout;
(e) then I must look for some information on the net how to learn touch typing, probably look for some software for that purpose;
(f) finally I must train touch typing until I learn it.
All these tasks consume time. I can make some estimations how much they would take me. I can hardly make any estimations, though, how much time the new skill would really save me. Thus I cannot make an estimation in what period of time the whole thing of "adopting the innovation" would pay off. I cannot know if it would pay off at all.
Here is something tricky, though. This new skill would benefit my work with computers in general, not only the work on the particular task I need to do in less time. It would pay off in areas I have not intended to be innovating in.
IV.
(1) is there a way to calculate how much time an innovation would save me in a given term?
(2) is there a sixth option to item II?
