“Beyond Estimates with Woody Zuill” - Episode 252 Summary

Key Takeaways

1. Estimates are essentially just guesses and not reliable facts
2. Estimates in software development can often do more harm than good
3. Instead of estimates, the focus should be on value creation and quick feedback
4. Short iterations and real data are more important than prior estimates
5. The complex nature of software development makes accurate estimates very difficult

Important Questions Addressed

1. What is an estimate really and how useful are estimates?
2. Why do organizations stick to estimates?
3. What alternatives are there to traditional estimates?
4. How can you work without estimates?
5. What role do psychological factors play in estimates?

Glossary

• Cycle Time: Time between start and end of a task including waiting times
• Lead Time: Total time from initial request to delivery
• Work Time: Pure working time on a task
• No Estimates: Approach to software development without traditional effort estimates
• Chaos Report: Standish Group study on success and failure rates of IT projects
• Complex Domain: Area with high uncertainty and unpredictability (according to Cynefin Framework)