Intent:
    Various sized projects have distinctly separate gestation periods from the time the project starts as a concept drawing until completion. The purpose of the decision time frame is to match the customer’s requests with realistic probabilities. We respond based upon the decision time frame the customer thinks he needs, but we also build a response process on the likelihood of the flow of the project based on past experience.

Benefit:
    Gives us the futuristic outlook; allows us to anticipate the customers fail points so we can more appropriately predict the time frames that we need to do our tasking. Each decision is made in a specific time frame and we need to match the decision-maker to that specified time frame.

Examples:
    First example, the customer tells us we will have the architect’s drawings by next week, but we’ve worked with this architect before and know that it will actually take three weeks due to the scope of the work. Therefore, we would schedule a follow-up call with the customer after the first week asking for the plans, anticipating that the estimating dept won’t actually receive them until the third week.

    Example 2: the general contractor tells us they are going to break ground immediately but you know the likelihood of being able to hold the schedule on breaking ground is unlikely. Therefore, you anticipate that getting the final dimensions on the foundation in place and the info you need is remote and not likely.

Definition
    The time in the project when a decision must be made and when you optimistically expect the information.