Re:But what about non-IT projects? (Score 1)

Separately:

In civil engineering projects, I've noticed a lot of people getting wise to the "finish on time" thing, by imposing rewards for finishing early--$10k for every day the project is finished early--and penalties for finishing late--$10k for every day the project is late. Contractor's estimates tend to get a lot more reasonable when they know that finishing two weeks late is going to cost them $140k.

Theatrical productions, at least up to the regional level--I don't have experience above that, have the philosophy of hard deadlines (which actually make them hard to model is most project mgmt software-- they don't like deadlines that can't move). This is because at opening night, the audience is going to show up, so you have to be finished. I worked on a production where the preview performance got cancelled because of rain. Another stagehand and I were squeeging 2" of water off the stage when the audience rushed the gates and started to sit down, outside, in pouring rain. When you're faced with an angry mob, you'll finish on time.