#198: Estimation vs the punitive target
Better ROI from Software Development15 Tammi 2025

#198: Estimation vs the punitive target

This episode is part of a wider mini-series looking at Estimation in Software Development.

In this episode, I wanted to highlight the emotional baggage that you developers may associate with estimation, and through no fault of your own, will carry that baggage into future estimation work.

In the episode, I look at the psychological scarring left behind from decades of using estimates as punitive targets.

Like most experienced developers, I've worked in organisations that turn estimates into punitive targets - where a well-meaning estimate has been turned into a commitment, and ultimately, a stick to beat the team with.

Now that stick has ranged from the aggressive to the passive, be it threats of dismissal or simply discussing the failure to hit the estimate.

-----

Find this episodes show notes at: https://red-folder.com/podcasts/198

Have an idea for an episode topic, or want to see what is coming up: https://red-folder.com/podcasts/roadmap


Jaksot(206)

#205: Estimation - a wrap-up

#205: Estimation - a wrap-up

This episode is a wrap-up for a mini-series looking at estimation in software development - recapping the guidelines I provided in Episode 189 and providing some additional tips that didn't have a hom...

5 Maalis 20258min

#204: Estimation - Professionalism

#204: Estimation - Professionalism

In this episode, the penultimate episode in the Software Estimation mini-series, I want to discuss how Software Estimation works in terms of professionalism - and in many cases, surprisingly, the prof...

26 Helmi 202521min

#203: Estimation - Is Artificial Intelligence the answer?

#203: Estimation - Is Artificial Intelligence the answer?

This episode is part of a wider mini-series looking at Estimation in Software Development. In this episode, I ask the question, is AI the answer? Following on from the episodes on Qualitative and Quan...

19 Helmi 202515min

#202: Estimation - Quantitative approaches

#202: Estimation - Quantitative approaches

This episode is part of a wider mini-series looking at Estimation in Software Development.In the last couple of episodes, I've looked at a number of methods that fall under the Qualitative approach to...

12 Helmi 202514min

#201: Estimation - the #NoEstimate approach

#201: Estimation - the #NoEstimate approach

This episode is part of a wider mini-series looking at Estimation in Software Development. In last week's episode, I looked at a number of methods that fall under the Qualitative approach to software ...

5 Helmi 20258min

#200: Estimation - Qualitative Approaches

#200: Estimation - Qualitative Approaches

This episode is part of a wider mini-series looking at Estimation in Software Development. In last week's episode, I introduced two approaches to software estimation, Qualitative and Quantitative esti...

29 Tammi 202514min

#199: Estimation - Quantitative vs Qualitative

#199: Estimation - Quantitative vs Qualitative

This episode is part of a wider mini-series looking at Estimation in Software Development. In this episode, I wanted to look at practical methods to help develop the team's estimation skills. We canno...

22 Tammi 202515min