article thumbnail

Estimating Agile Projects.Or Not

Leading Answers

Project managers generally like plans and estimates so we can forecast when things should be done and how much they may cost. " So, when project managers hear about ideas such as "let's stop estimating," it can trigger a knee-jerk reaction. It sounds lazy and avoiding the hard work of having to estimate.

Estimate 131
article thumbnail

Practical Fibonacci: A Beginner's Guide to Relative Sizing

Scrum.org

O verview of Agile Estimating. When more is known than unknown, use absolute estimating. Absolute estimating is the practice of applying an hourly, finite estimate to each requirement. Absolute estimating is the practice of applying an hourly, finite estimate to each requirement. Borrowed from nature, this.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Basis of Estimating Software Development

Herding Cats

The estimating of software development is both straightforward and complex. When it is suggested that estimating is hard, of no value, and unnecessary, always ask what principle is used to support that claim? Software Sizing and Estimating: Mk II FPA , Charles Symons, John Wiley & Sons, 1991. Don't hear one?

article thumbnail

Creating a Risk-Adjusted Backlog

Leading Answers

While profit is not their goal, usually an economic impact figure can be estimated for the outcomes they aim to achieve. I wrote about these ideas when I started blogging in 2006 as  Risk Profile Graphs. Conclusion Risk management, like estimation, should not be just a project management activity.

Risk 145
article thumbnail

In-Depth: How Easily Biases Distort What We Believe (In The Workplace)

Scrum.org

More recent analyses have shown that this bias isn’t as fundamental as previously thought (Malle, 2006). When teams estimate work, hearing an initial estimate is likely to “anchor” further estimates. The anchoring bias explains why Planning Poker requires participants to show their estimates at the same time.

2015 225
article thumbnail

Agile Project Management: What is it and Why is it so Important?

Online PM Courses

It uses estimating, budgeting, planning, and controls to predict costs and schedules, and to work to maintain them. You can’t make accurate cost and schedule estimates. Imagine trying to create the iPhone 14 back in 2006. Therefore, in predictive project management, it is important to have clearly defined requirements.

Agile 98
article thumbnail

Reading List for the Cone of Uncertainty

Herding Cats

The primary purpose of software estimation is not to predict a project’s outcome; it is to determine whether a project’s targets are realistic enough to allow the project to be controlled to meet them ? The difficulty of accurate size estimation is compounded especially at the time of inception when very little information is available.

2012 48