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3 Reasons Why We Estimate Software Projects And How To Avoid Them
Estimating software projects can sometimes feel more like an art than a science. Before investing in a crystal ball, ask yourself why you are dabbling in magic in the first place.
1. Budgeting
You want to know the cost of building a feature because you are working on a staffing plan, a product brief, or a slide deck for the powers that be. And specifically, you want to know the person-hours because time equals money in software projects.
Estimation helps, but consider this: you probably already know the desired business outcomes and how much you will bet on the project. The estimation exercise is simply a way to justify the ceiling that you have already set for the project budget.
Instead of paying a psychic to read your future, you can fix the time and empower the team to find creative ways to meet the budget. Read up on how Basecamp does it with fixed time, variable scope.
2. Roadmapping
You want to craft a roadmap that shows which features you are shipping and when. You believe knowing the estimated cost of each feature is a paramount deciding factor.
Estimation helps, but remember you only need a rough idea of how long features take to build. The real…
