1632: Resources Checklist

or How to Successfully Defend Your Pet Project in 1632 Tech Manual

Reading through some of the recent threads I’m concerned that there is a drift away from reality when it comes to available resources. What every project needs to know is all the resources it needs and what is available.

So how can you know if your pet project is possible? Below is a stab at a checklist for projects. I’ve tried to make it applicable to almost any kind of project. As I’m sure I’ve left some important items off the list feel free to add to it.

If you can answer these questions it will be easier to defend your pet project to other Barflies. Be honest with your answers.

Basic Resources:

1. Information
   1. Who has the knowledge of this process?
      1. How do they know it?
      2. How well do they know the entire process?
   2. If no person has the knowledge is it available in books or magazines?
   3. Can a case be made for the knowledge being in Grantville?
      1. Book or magazine in library?
      2. Book or magazine in High School library?
      3. Book or magazine privately owned (this is a tough one!)
   4. Can the process be reduced to a ‘cheat sheet’ that a down-timer could follow? (see Dr. Phil)
2. Personnel
   1. Does the process require one or more up-timers?
      1. How do they know it?
      2. How well do they know the entire process?
      3. Does this person fit the Grid without violating the ‘Many Halves’ principles?
   2. Are any of the required up-timers available?
   3. How long will it take to train down-timers to do the process?
   4. (Note: many processes will not require full or even partial understanding of the baseline theory behind them to be successful.)
   5. How many people, up-timer and down-timer, are required?
   6. Are sufficient people available?
   7. Are the right people available?
3. Materials
   1. What raw materials does the process require?
   2. Are these materials available?
      1. Is the quality of the raw material sufficient for the process?
      2. Is there sufficient quantity of the raw material available?
      3. What is the cost of the raw materials?
      4. Do the raw materials have to be shipped from a distance? If so, what is the lead time required?
   3. What other materials does the process require?
      1. Are these materials available?
      2. Is the quality of these materials sufficient for the process?
      3. Is there sufficient quantity of these materials available?
      4. What is the cost of these materials?
      5. Do these materials have to be shipped from a distance? If so, what is the lead time required?
4. Infrastructure
   1. What kind of building(s) are required for the process?
   2. Does this type of building exist in the required area?
      1. If no such building exists, how will it be built?
      2. What is the time required to either build or bring an existing building up to the requirements?
   3. What utilities are required by the process?
      1. Electricity
      2. Water
      3. Gas
      4. Coal
      5. Charcoal
      6. Communications (phone, telegraph, etc.)
      7. Lighting
         1. Gas
         2. Kerosene
         3. Electric light bulbs
         4. Candles
         5. Sunlight
   4. What kind of access is required?
      1. All weather road
      2. Railroad siding
      3. Wagon road
      4. Foot path
      5. Tram line
   5. What kind of storage facilities are required for raw materials?
      1. None
      2. Shed
      3. Separate building
      4. Special handling (i.e. gunpowder magazine, chemical shed)
      5. Barrels, crates, vats, and/or bins
   6. What machinery/tools are required by the process?
      1. Are these tools or machines available?
      2. Who is making these tools or machines?
      3. When will they be available in sufficient numbers for the process?
   7. Are special handling tools and/or clothing required?
      1. Are these special handing tools/clothing available?
      2. Who is making the special handing tools/clothing ?
      3. When will they be available in sufficient numbers for the process?
   8. What kind of storage facilities are required for the finished product?
      1. None
      2. Shed
      3. Separate building
      4. Special handling (i.e. gunpowder magazine, chemical shed, refrigeration)
      5. Barrels, crates, vats, and/or bins
5. Other considerations
   1. Does the process produce products or by-products that require special handling?
      1. What is required to dispose of waste products generated by the process?
      2. Are these waste products useful to someone else?
   2. How is the finished product handled?
      1. Packaged?
      2. Shipped?
      3. Transported to final destination?
   3. Will use of the finished product require any training?
      1. What resources are available to train end users?
      2. Who is available to do training?