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> Optimize for finishing work before starting new work Part of this is, as a developer, I really want to be able to have a few days of relatively relaxed work

> Optimize for finishing work before starting new work Part of this is, as a developer, I really want to be able to have a few days of relatively relaxed work at the end of a project. Maybe just check some logs, make sure things are running okay, pay off some technical debt, talk with coworkers about work or not work. This almost never seems to happen, while delivering one thing the team frantically looks to the next. People need periods of work and rest.

losteric 5y ago
If you're on a sprint process, I've found it quite helpful for whoever is involved in estimation to target a "P90-confidence" estimate and round up the points... fighting the tendency towards "average" estimation (which invariably leads to crunch). For changes that ship below estimation, use the time to vet the feature or work on other - don't immediately pick up the next sprint task. In essence, estimate and operate with sustainability in mind.
- 9wzYQbTYsAIc 5y ago
  I like that idea; based on my experience, targeting with confidence intervals sounds way better than a plain average. I used to do something similar to that by making high and low estimates for each effort unit and then using the average of averages. That approach might work well for teams without a basis in operations research or statistics.
  - kqr 5y ago
    The strong benefit of confidence intervals is that they are empirically verifiable. If you go back and look at your past 90 % estimates and you find that not roughly 9 out of 10 were correct, you need to revise your process. Averages of averages lack this very practical, immediate interpretation.
  - Buttons840 5y ago
    The sum of normal distributions is a normal distribution.
- mirekrusin 5y ago
  Yes, people don't realize that median estimate means they're expecting up front 50% chance it won't be on time, in their heads it's something weird like "almost 100% will be finished on time".
moltar 5y ago
Yea!! This! I’ve been working with a therapist for a few years. And that’s one of the things we’ve discussed that’s important for mental health. We need to digest, reminisce, retrospect, whatever you want to call it to get closure. If you don’t get closure then you have open loops that are mentally taxing.
mirekrusin 5y ago
Sprints can start/finish with quality related work - improving logging, architecture, cleanups, whatever needs improvement etc. It should be embedded into the process so it happens all the time. This should give a feeling of sustainability. To put it in other words, you should not feel at the end of the project you need this kind of time because you were doing it all along. There should be no feeling of exhaustion and relief at the end of the project. That's a sign of non-sustainable process, people burn out on it, employers loose more money at the end and people feel like shit - not great, better for everyone to avoid.

losteric 5y ago

If you're on a sprint process, I've found it quite helpful for whoever is involved in estimation to target a "P90-confidence" estimate and round up the points... fighting the tendency towards "average" estimation (which invariably leads to crunch). For changes that ship below estimation, use the time to vet the feature or work on other - don't immediately pick up the next sprint task. In essence, estimate and operate with sustainability in mind.

9wzYQbTYsAIc 5y ago
I like that idea; based on my experience, targeting with confidence intervals sounds way better than a plain average. I used to do something similar to that by making high and low estimates for each effort unit and then using the average of averages. That approach might work well for teams without a basis in operations research or statistics.
- kqr 5y ago
  The strong benefit of confidence intervals is that they are empirically verifiable. If you go back and look at your past 90 % estimates and you find that not roughly 9 out of 10 were correct, you need to revise your process. Averages of averages lack this very practical, immediate interpretation.
- Buttons840 5y ago
  The sum of normal distributions is a normal distribution.
mirekrusin 5y ago
Yes, people don't realize that median estimate means they're expecting up front 50% chance it won't be on time, in their heads it's something weird like "almost 100% will be finished on time".

moltar 5y ago

Yea!! This! I’ve been working with a therapist for a few years. And that’s one of the things we’ve discussed that’s important for mental health. We need to digest, reminisce, retrospect, whatever you want to call it to get closure. If you don’t get closure then you have open loops that are mentally taxing.

mirekrusin 5y ago

Sprints can start/finish with quality related work - improving logging, architecture, cleanups, whatever needs improvement etc. It should be embedded into the process so it happens all the time. This should give a feeling of sustainability. To put it in other words, you should not feel at the end of the project you need this kind of time because you were doing it all along. There should be no feeling of exhaustion and relief at the end of the project. That's a sign of non-sustainable process, people burn out on it, employers loose more money at the end and people feel like shit - not great, better for everyone to avoid.