Deciding to hire or do it myself with unknown tasks

The situation

They were faced with a decision about whether to hire a contractor or do a task themselves, but lacked key information about the task. This made it difficult to evaluate the need for specialist help. They needed to find a way to make a decision without having all the facts. A short scoping step could provide the necessary information to determine the best course of action. The goal was to find a way to compare the costs and benefits of doing the task themselves versus hiring a contractor.

What they weighed

• Hire a contractor now

• Do the first bounded step myself, then reassess

  Chosen

What they decided

Do the first bounded step myself, then reassess

Why

They chose to do the first bounded step themselves because it would give them the information they needed to decide whether to hire a contractor. This approach allowed them to test their own abilities and define the deliverable before committing to hiring outside help. By doing a small first step, they could determine if the task required specialist credentials or if it could be completed within their available time and skill level.

The first step

They would write a one-sentence deliverable and attempt one bounded first step, then hire a contractor for a defined scope if necessary

How they would know it worked

The success of this approach would be measured by the existence of a concrete deliverable and time estimate, which would allow them to compare the costs and benefits of doing the task themselves versus hiring a contractor

How it turned out

Not known yet. The result is added here when it comes in.