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> Unfortunately this bit of illogic is so common that I know it’s a waste of time to argue, so I’ve learned how to figure out what they want the estimates to be
by DeathArrow 4y ago
> Unfortunately this bit of illogic is so common that I know it’s a waste of time to argue, so I’ve learned how to figure out what they want the estimates to be, give them that, miss them (just like everybody else does), and then get to work on actually providing the feature.
I do that and I've become exceptionally good at blaming the business persons for the outcome, making them admit their guilt in public and all that in what seems a friendly, positive and constructive manner and using business motivation and explanation. They never understood what hit them. Every programmer can do that if he or she learns a bit of psychology.
- meghan_rain 4y agoCan you elaborate?
- DeathArrow 4y agoI just confront business people with the results of their choices in a civil and polite manner. If some manager made a promise to a client out of his/her ass without asking us, and if the PO pressures us towards meeting an unrealistic time-frame, when that explodes I just explain in a public meeting where upper management and all stake holders take part why it was wrong to promise that, using arguments and business considerents because bussineses people don't care about tech considerents. It usually results in that person admitting in public their mistake and even saying they are sorry. I don't do that to humiliate people but to teach them to ask the team implementing the feature to estimate or to say if that feature is even reasonable or possible given current state and resources.