Dilbert cartoon first published on Sunday 28th July 1996

Dilbert//2661, first published thirty years ago on Sunday 28th July 1996

Tags

budget trap quick estimate next project rough estimate wild guess beudget two million dollars can't afford

Official transcript

The caption says, "The Budget Trap."

The Boss says, "I need a quick estimate for how much your next project will cost, Wally."

Wally replies, "How should I know? You haven't even told me what my next project is."

The Boss says, "That's okay. I only need a rough estimate for planning purposes."

Wally says, "I see where this is going. You're going to turn my wild guess into a budget. Later I'll be blamed when it's wrong."

The Boss replies, "No, no. I won't hold you to these numbers."

Wally says, "Well . . . Okay, let's say two million dollars."

The Boss says as he walks away, "Ooh . . . Can't afford that. I'll put you down for twenty thousand dollars."

The caption says, "One year later . . ."

The Boss sits at his desk and says to Wally, "You're way over budget. Can you show me the cause?"

Wally replies, "It depends. Can mirrors reflect your image?"

originally published on dilbert.com

Open source transcript

THE BUDGET TRAP I NEED A QUICK ESTIMATE FOR HOW MUCH YOUR NEXT PROJECT WILL COST, WALLY.

HOW SHOULD I KNOW?

YOU HAVEN'T EVEN TOLD ME WHAT MY NEXT PROJECT IS.

THAT'S OKAY. I ONLY NEED A ROUGH ESTIMATE FOR PLANNING PURPOSES.

I SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING. YOU'RE GOING TO TURN MY WILD GUESS INTO A BUDGET.

LATER I'LL BE BLAMED WHEN IT'S WRONG.

NO, NO. I WON'T HOLD YOU TO THESE NUMBERS.

WELL... OKAY, LET'S SAY TWO MILLION DOLLARS.

OOH... CAN'T AFFORD THAT. I'LL PUT YOU DOWN FOR TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.

ONE YEAR LATER YOU'RE WAY OVER BUDGET.

CAN YOU SHOW ME THE CAUSE?

IT DEPENDS.

CAN MIRRORS REFLECT YOUR IMAGE?

collated from github.com/jvarn/dilbert-archive

AI Analysis

Comic Strip Title: "The Budget Trap"

Summary:

• The comic strip features Dilbert, a character known for his sarcastic wit and frustration with his job, in a humorous exchange with his boss.
• Dilbert is tasked with providing a quick estimate for a new project, but his boss is unsatisfied with the initial response.
• The boss demands a more detailed breakdown of the costs, leading to a series of increasingly absurd and exaggerated estimates from Dilbert.
• The exchange culminates in Dilbert being asked to show the cause of the budget overruns, which he humorously attributes to the boss's wild guesses.
• The comic strip pokes fun at the common workplace scenario of unrealistic expectations and the challenges of managing budgets.

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