Dilbert cartoon first published on Sunday 28th September 1997

Dilbert//3088, first published 29 years ago on Sunday 28th September 1997

Tags

boss zone donuts on hair executive retreat failure one month project six phases uncertainty approval

Official transcript

The Boss sits at his desk and hands a piece of paper to Alice. The Boss says, "Get my approval at each phase. Finish in one month."

Alice looks at the paper and says, "Let's see.. You're on vacation next week. Then you're traveling, then there's an executive retreat..."

Alice continues while the Boss appears to listen, "It takes three weeks to get on your calendar... and the project has six phases..."

Alice says, "What we have here is guaranteed failure."

Alice says, "You've left nothing to chance on this one."

Alice says, "I mean, normally there's a bit of uncertainty, but you've..oh."

Alice says, "You've slipped into the "Boss Zone"

where you can't see or hear employee input."

The Boss is a zombie and Alice waves her hand in front of his eyes to no effect. The Boss says to Carol, his secretary, "It's weird. I lost ten minutes, and when I woke up, my doughnuts were gone."

A doughnut is stuck on each of The Boss's tufts of hair.

originally published on dilbert.com

Open source transcript

GET MY APPROVAL AT EACH PHASE. FINISH IN ONE MONTH.

LET'S SEE... YOU'RE ON VACATION NEXT WEEK.

THEN YOU'RE TRAVELING.

THEN THERE'S YOUR EXECUTIVE RETREAT ... IT TAKES THREE WEEKS TO GET ON YOUR CALENDAR ...

AND THE PROJECT HAS SIX PHASES...

WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS GUARANTEED FAILURE.

YOU'VE LEFT NOTHING TO CHANCE ON THIS ONE.

I MEAN, NORMALLY THERE'S A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY, BUT YOU'VE ... OH.

YOU'VE SLIPPED INTO THE "BOSS ZONE" WHERE YOU CAN'T SEE OR HEAR EMPLOYEE INPUT.

IT'S WEIRD. I LOST TEN MINUTES, AND WHEN I WOKE UP, MY DOUGHNUTS WERE GONE

collated from github.com/jvarn/dilbert-archive

AI Analysis

The comic strip is titled "Dilbert" and was originally published in 1997.

Summary:

The comic strip depicts a conversation between Dilbert and his boss, who is trying to explain the company's project timeline. The boss is frustrated with the lack of progress and the numerous delays, while Dilbert is amused by the situation. The comic strip pokes fun at the bureaucratic red tape and inefficiencies that often plague large organizations.

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