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Estimates are difficult for developers and product owners

(thorsell.io)
225 points todsacerdoti | 4 comments | 07 Dec 25 19:17 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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csours ◴[07 Dec 25 19:46 UTC] No.46184496[source]▶
I largely agree.

Another way to say this is that an estimate becomes a commitment to not learn.

Re-planning is seen as failure by [management].

Re-planning is what happens when you learn that a previous assumption was not correct.

You should be encouraging learning, as this is THE cornerstone of software development.

replies(3): >>46184625 #>>46184792 #>>46184860 #
1. thfuran ◴[07 Dec 25 20:31 UTC] No.46184860[source]▶
Re-planning when you gain enough information to know you need to isn’t a failure — not re-planning then would be — but repeatedly finding yourself re-planning when you had or should have had that information before the initial plan is.
replies(1): >>46185111 #
2. csours ◴[07 Dec 25 20:59 UTC] No.46185111[source]▶
> SEEN as failure

emphasis added

replies(1): >>46185553 #
3. thfuran ◴[07 Dec 25 21:53 UTC] No.46185553[source]▶
Yes, and rightly so, sometimes.
replies(1): >>46185563 #
4. csours ◴[07 Dec 25 21:54 UTC] No.46185563{3}[source]▶
Yes, sometimes, but negotiating this can be the whole ballgame.