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I absolutely loathe software estimates. They put engineers in a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario that isn't even in their full control anyway. I

I absolutely loathe software estimates. They put engineers in a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario that isn't even in their full control anyway. I think this is one of the things that Shape Up got the most absolutely correct - inverting the relationship between an estimate and time. We've been asking the wrong question all along: Instead of asking "how long will X take?" you should be asking "How long do I want to spend on X?". It changes the entire dynamic of the situation to one that allows management to see the trade-offs in a given set of work, and lets the engineers tune scope to match expectations. Any approach that still asks "How long will X take?" is dead in the water.

bcrl 5y ago
I'm the opposite. I find putting an estimate together makes me think through the design and ensure that the scope is limited enough to be viable within the schedule. By having a rough idea of all the tasks that have to be done, progress against those tasks can be measured. Knowing how far along the project is then gives feedback into development to know when and where pressure needs to be applied. Granted, this whole thing works for me as I happen to thrive under pressure.
- shakezula 5y ago
  > thrive under pressure. I actually would say I do too, but I also appreciate deadlines for the time compression effect that they instill that you can't get from anything else. > I find putting an estimate together makes me think through the design I agree, and I'm not advocating for ignoring all of those details for a ticket or project. I'm just saying that the important thing is to flip the conversation. All of those things should be known regardless of the time question.