PERFECT ESTIMATES ARE FOR SUCKERS!

Why estimate?

REASONS

• Pricing
• Workload planning
• Individual performance measure
• ...

Ways To Miss

FINISHING INSIDE ESTIMATE

• Gratitude
• Accomplishment
• Happy customer/PM
• Flexibility

FINISH OVER ESTIMATE

• Apologies
• Rescheduling
• Disappointment
• Overtime

Using Systematic "Safety"

ESTIMATE INFLATION IMPACTS

• Pricing - over
• Workload planning - under
• Individual performance measure - awesome
• Actual hours - bad

ESTIMATES AFFECT ACTUAL HOURS

• Good-plating
• Diversions
• Unbudgeted scope creep

Questions?

BEST PRACTICES

• Estimate to miss sometimes
• Count on cycles to balance under and over estimates
• Aim to be right "on average"
• Use granular stories