I have another goal for early estimation, which is to encourage the
business-decision-makers to focus on return instead of just value. If
the choice is between the Yugo and the Ferrari, I'll take the Ferrari
every time. If I have $6000 and I know the price of the two cars, my
thinking is more realistic.

I worry sometimes that this will keep people from being creative,
thinking big thoughts. However, that's just my fear. Some people are
really good at thinking big, cheap thoughts. We're remodeling a house
right now and I'm amazed at the changes my wife Cindee can make on a
tight budget. Some people are good at seeing opportunity, and those
people will work fine with early estimation.

Kent Beck
Three Rivers Institute

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Denis Haskin [mailto:Denis@...]
> Sent: Monday, September 06, 2004 7:23 PM
> To: extremeprogramming@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [XP] Collective estimation?
>
>
> Perryn, really good questions. Definitely made me stop and
> think. (And
> yes, my first reaction was "the White Book says so!...")
>
> Here's some ideas:
>
> * to give the Customer some idea of when we might achieve
> a release
> * to select user stories for the next iteration
> * to figure out whether the project needs more (or less) people
> * to cause the developers to give some thought to the user stories
> before they actually start implementing them, so they can flag
> what is unclear/contradictory/etc to the Customer with
> some lead time
>
>
> I don't know if these are clearly enough articulated or
> compelling enough...
>
> I will certainly agree that estimating software development
> is often not
> very reliable or accurate, but have you really been in a
> business where
> it was acceptable for the software team to say "we don't know
> how long
> this is going to take, and we're not even going to try and guess"?
>
> Thanks,
>
> dwh
>
> p.s. I actually don't think this lead developer is evil incarnate...
>
>
> Perryn Fowler wrote:
>
> >In slight contrast to the direction that the discussion has been
> >taking, Im not sure this lead developer is necessarily evil incarnate
> >
> >It sounds as if he considers these estimates a waste of time - (and
> >even a time boxed waste of time is still a waste of time.)
> >
> >So the obvious question is - what are these estimates for?
> How are you
> >going to
> >use them? What will they give you that will make it worth
> spending the effort?
> >
> >If you can clearly articulate the answers to these questions to him
> >then maybe he will be won over...
> >
> >On the other hand I often think that estimates are taken for
> estimates
> >sake so if you can't articulate their need... ( and 'cos the
> White Book
> >says so doesn't count ;) )
> >
> >Perryn
> >
> >
>
>
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