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Context is everything. 1. How important is it that we get an estimate? Things take the same amount of work with or without the estimate, so how bad is it actua
by adverbly 4y ago
Context is everything.
1. How important is it that we get an estimate? Things take the same amount of work with or without the estimate, so how bad is it actually if we don't know how long something will take? And no - a feeling of general anxiety among management/leadership around "not knowing" DOES NOT count as an actual cost! If I can't handle uncertainty, that shows a lack of maturity on my part. If the estimate is not critically important due to factors external to the company, consider using an appetite instead(https://basecamp.com/shapeup/1.2-chapter-03#fixed-time-variable-scope https://basecamp.com/shapeup/1.2-chapter-03#fixed-time-varia...).
2. If I truly need an estimate, the next question is how difficult is it to provide an accurate estimate? Nobody can estimate how long AGI or flying cars will take. If we need a new field on a form and in the DB - something the team has done many times before, I would require an accurate estimate from the engineers, and hold them accountable if they miss the target. However, if I NEED an estimate for a very difficult to estimate task, it is a RED FLAG that the company is at significant risk. Rather than push the team to provide a more accurate estimate, leadership/management should instead focus on strategic moves or contingencies to mitigate risk. If strategic moves/contingency plans are not realistic, the next preference would be to play it safe: rather than waiting for the estimate, start work immediately and redirect/focus additional resources on the task until the risk has been lowered(get progress updates instead of estimates). If we can't actually start work, we need to have a long and hard think about our core business and work practices because the process is putting massive stress on ICs by making them guess at things which may be outside of their control, leading to decreased performance and increased attrition.