#NoEstimates
Estimation is wasteful, but many teams still abide by it. Let’s debunk this myth.
The #NoEstimates discussion and my experience of having left estimates long ago led me to write this article. I argue that estimates are mostly a waste of resources. Finally, I’ll present the alternative (which ends up rendering sprints unneeded). Note that this advice follows The “Just Sharing” Principle.
Estimating is guesswork
Estimations are guesses. You may argue that they’re educated guesses, but educated on what? We’re always solving new problems. The world keeps spinning: technology changes, and users’ problems evolve. We’re always doing research and adapting.
A product is, by definition, inherently unpredictable. You’re in a constant state of discovery. When you get feedback on something you delivered, you reshape your understanding of the domain. You never really know the following stories, as they are constantly being shuffled, sliced, discarded, and pivoted — if not, you may not be interacting enough with the users; you’re likely following an outdated plan. There are unexpected blockers and obstacles. The uncertainty is higher for stories you’ll start a week later.
Software development is not carpentry. Almost everything a developer writes is unique, they…
