Who cares about points and estimation?
In a previous modern agile essay, I described the right way to assign points to user stories. This article goes much deeper into who is responsible for transforming those points into time estimates and release planning.
Point systems and estimation processes are tools used by people in charge of enforcing accountability for performance in a given software delivery organization. In large enterprises, that responsibility may be assigned to someone with a title like VP of Engineering, Director of Development, or simply Project Manager. In smaller organizations, the responsibility may belong to a hands-on CTO or lead engineer doing double-duty.
Estimation doesn’t exist in a vacuum, nor does it serve the people doing the work that is estimated. Whenever there is demand for an estimation process to be included in a software development program, that demand is driven from the top-down.
Estimation is valuable to whoever is ultimately paying for the work, because they want that work to be done efficiently and in conjunction with greater organizational goals and initiatives. In contrast, workers don’t have any intrinsic motivation to support organizational goals, and…
