Almost Done

A common way of saying "not done". Common response to an inquiry on a task's status; can mean anything from "I've started" to "I truly am Almost Done; I just have to fix one more UnitTest and then I can check in."

Often an AntiPattern, when it is a sign that someone wishes to DelayBadNews. The underlying assumption is that "if they think I'm just a day late, they'll leave me alone. If they really knew how far behind I was, then I might get some (unwanted) "help."'' This attitude usually makes things worse, not better.

Note that reports of "almost done" are frequently passed up the chain, as each level of management wishes to avoid interference on the part of their boss. This propagates the illusion of progress and exacerbates the inevitable core meltdown when critical milestones, such as trade shows, are not met.

See: NinetyPercentDone, AlmostCorrect, AlmostConsideredHarmful

CategoryAntiPattern CategoryScheduling