Estimation
The Problem of Cognitive Biases in Estimation Estimation is a crucial activity in software development, allowing teams to gauge the level of effort and resources required to complete work items in a project. However, human judgment in estimation can often be skewed by systematic cognitive biases. One such bias that plays a major role is…
The Problem of Inconsistent Estimates Inconsistent story point estimates refer to a lack of alignment and variability in the story points assigned to user stories of similar scope and complexity. This inconsistency stems from differences in the way team members interpret and apply story points, as well as changes in team velocity over time. Inconsistent…
What is Technical Debt? Technical debt refers to the implied cost of additional work caused by choosing an easy solution now instead of using a better approach that would take longer. Like financial debt, technical debt accrues interest payments in the form of extra effort and cost over time. Here are some examples of what…
Developers have highly variable capabilities in producing high-quality software code and solutions. Measuring productivity for software developers is complex, as both the quality and quantity of work must be evaluated. Additionally, many factors influence an individual developer’s effectiveness, including problem-solving skills, programming language familiarity, code quality practices, and knowledge of tools and frameworks. Furthermore, developer…
Why Estimation Matters Software development estimation serves several key purposes. It sets expectations for project scope, schedule, and resource needs. By estimating effort early, teams enable upfront planning and risk mitigation. Estimates also facilitate priority setting across proposed work items and product roadmapping based on business value. Setting Realistic Expectations Estimates provide the foundation for…
The Challenge of Accuracy in Story Point Estimation Agile estimation using story points has become a common technique for predicting effort and delivery capability in software development. By assigning a dimensionless story point value to each user story in the backlog, agile teams estimate the overall relative level of effort required to complete each item….
The Peril of Premature Estimates Providing accurate estimates is one of the most vital, yet challenging, aspects of managing software projects. Premature estimates made without sufficient information often set unrealistic expectations that can doom projects. This section covers the risks of rushing estimates before key details are known. Why Estimation is Challenging in Software Projects…
Understanding Agile Estimation Agile estimation refers to the practice of forecasting the effort required to complete user stories or sprint tasks in agile software development. Estimates help agile teams plan capacity, prioritize the backlog, and track progress iteratively. Common estimation approaches include story points, ideal days, t-shirt sizing, and other relative units. These differ from…
Defining Software Defects and Velocity Metrics Before diving into the debate around including bugs in velocity metrics, it is important to clearly define key terminology. A software defect or “bug” refers to an error, flaw, failure, or fault in a computer program that causes it to produce an incorrect or unexpected result or behave in…
Why Velocity Gets Abused as a Commitment There are cultural pressures in many organizations to meet deadlines and estimates at all costs. Managers often treat velocity – the amount of work a team completes in a sprint – as capacity rather than as a trend. This leads to velocity being used as a hard commitment…