http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2006/12/estimating-whats-remaining-to-finish.html Management, especially good management, is hard to do. This blog is for people who want to think about how they manage people, projects, and risk. Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:34:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2006/12/estimating-whats-remaining-to-finish.html/comment-page-1#comment-613 Peter Harris Tue, 20 Mar 2007 20:14:56 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/?p=8006#comment-613 What about a statement as to what caused the delay, and what's been done to mitigate it? I.e. I was being interrupted all the time, so I've moved to an undisclosed location and turned off my cell phone for the next two days. Please forward my mail through the Developer Protection Program. What about a statement as to what caused the delay, and what’s been done to mitigate it?
I.e. I was being interrupted all the time, so I’ve moved to an undisclosed location and turned off my cell phone for the next two days. Please forward my mail through the Developer Protection Program.

]]> http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2006/12/estimating-whats-remaining-to-finish.html/comment-page-1#comment-612 Pawel Brodzinski Wed, 27 Dec 2006 13:55:45 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/?p=8006#comment-612 I base my confidence to someone's estimates on past experience. The same like you I generally don't trust to estimates made by a developer I work with for the first time. But I do take them as good (for different reasons than having good schedule of course). Every time I work with the developer later I judge his estimates basing on his earlier accuracy. When I look on my current team I have: * two persons who say they need more time than they'll use * another small group who are quite accurate (and I trust their estimates) * those who underestimate but I can try to adjust their schedules basing on past experience * those who are so abiguous that I rather set some time by myself than rely upon what I hear from them When you know who is who it's easier to make a schedule which can be trusted. And yes, in your situation (as far as I understand it) you hadn't that kind of knowledge. But still, I wouldn't be so fast with definitive answers like yours and some of those who posted comments. Not enough data for me. PS. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year I base my confidence to someone’s estimates on past experience. The same like you I generally don’t trust to estimates made by a developer I work with for the first time. But I do take them as good (for different reasons than having good schedule of course). Every time I work with the developer later I judge his estimates basing on his earlier accuracy.
When I look on my current team I have:
* two persons who say they need more time than they’ll use
* another small group who are quite accurate (and I trust their estimates)
* those who underestimate but I can try to adjust their schedules basing on past experience
* those who are so abiguous that I rather set some time by myself than rely upon what I hear from them
When you know who is who it’s easier to make a schedule which can be trusted.
And yes, in your situation (as far as I understand it) you hadn’t that kind of knowledge. But still, I wouldn’t be so fast with definitive answers like yours and some of those who posted comments. Not enough data for me.
PS. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

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