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I am amazed how my team mates are trying to always severely underestimate tasks. To the point that our manager has to intervene and raise the estimation a bit.

I am amazed how my team mates are trying to always severely underestimate tasks. To the point that our manager has to intervene and raise the estimation a bit. Why are SWE and programmers so afraid of bussineses persons, product owners, scrum masters and higher management? Whenever I thought my estimation is good, I fought for it with the teeth. It could be the CEO wanting it done by tomorrow, if I said it would take a week, it took a week. And if an user story is not well refined, is subject to change while it is in implementation phase, is unclear or have some uncertainty, then it's absolutely normal to add time for that. And I hate estimating in points instead of days. The bussines is always pressuring towards doing more with less people, and as a result velocity rises, we are expected to do more points and people stay after hours to do the work.

Tade0 4y ago
> Why are SWE and programmers so afraid of bussineses persons, product owners, scrum masters and higher management? I've seen this many times and I used to be such a person. It stems from expecting to be at peak mental shape all day (because that's what you've shown in your job interview) - ultimately overestimating one's capabilities. I had to wait to my thirties to understand that nope, I can't sustain this and I should acknowledge that I'm not really putting in 8h of focused work daily. I see this as a rite of passage for a senior developer - you can't be dependable if you're not true to yourself.
- DeathArrow 4y ago
  That makes sense indeed. It's more of juniors or middle programmers who usually underestimate. And the poor folks end up working nights and weekends to try to meet that estimation. But it's not that they will have more respect, recognition or salary raise if they work more than they would sign for. If I were a tech or people manager I wouldn't expect my team to overwork, just do a decent job in a decent amount of time, i.e. no slacking. And our current people manager which used to be a programmer does that. When he feels a task is underestimated he asks to raise the estimation. And the PO and the scrum master comply even if they don't like it.

Tade0 4y ago

> Why are SWE and programmers so afraid of bussineses persons, product owners, scrum masters and higher management? I've seen this many times and I used to be such a person. It stems from expecting to be at peak mental shape all day (because that's what you've shown in your job interview) - ultimately overestimating one's capabilities. I had to wait to my thirties to understand that nope, I can't sustain this and I should acknowledge that I'm not really putting in 8h of focused work daily. I see this as a rite of passage for a senior developer - you can't be dependable if you're not true to yourself.

DeathArrow 4y ago
That makes sense indeed. It's more of juniors or middle programmers who usually underestimate. And the poor folks end up working nights and weekends to try to meet that estimation. But it's not that they will have more respect, recognition or salary raise if they work more than they would sign for. If I were a tech or people manager I wouldn't expect my team to overwork, just do a decent job in a decent amount of time, i.e. no slacking. And our current people manager which used to be a programmer does that. When he feels a task is underestimated he asks to raise the estimation. And the PO and the scrum master comply even if they don't like it.