The Human Factor in Software Engineering

Currently, I am caught in the old game: The project´s final date was fixed. I was asked how many of the project´s work packages I can do until that date, within six weeks. Now, I am waiting for the information about which work packages will be mine. The project´s start date is moving, but I bet that the final date will stay fixed. Fortunately, my estimations contained a buffer... Risk management means: You never know what will happen. But you can be certain that something will happen!