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Show HN: I built a free app to help devs create more accurate software estimates

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Re: Show HN: I built a free app to help devs create more accurate software estimates

#51

Post by jacques_chester »

AlexC04 wrote: post #33
elevensies wrote: post #23

The thing that helped me the most personally with my estimate accuracy is estimating times beforehand, and then tracking the actual time and evaluating the accuracy of my own estimates. This is partly to get out of the mindset of trying to explain why past estimates were over/under and focus on being more accurate in the future.

It's funny, we've got the ability to do that at work, we track our time in 15 minute blocks and break each task down. As an agency (maybe it's the same everywhere), I think there is wild external and internal pressure against giving accurate estimates. When you get in the room with the project managers and the sales people, you can see their eyes rolling as the costs escalate. "How long is implementing Google analyti…

I've seen this too. I'm lucky to work at a place where engineering estimates are taken seriously.

Most of the objections I see to estimating are objections to their abuse.

Re: Show HN: I built a free app to help devs create more accurate software estimates

#52

Post by rpwilcox »

AlexC04 wrote: post #35
rpwilcox wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did it help? How often did you end up repeating the same task? (Personally, I have this feeling that my tasks tend to be varied enough that 'number of times done' would almost always == 1, however, I don't have any actual data to back that assertion up. (And maybe you used this to hone in on the "true hour cost of a 2 story point task"???)

Surely you're getting the sense of the patterns of things you're doing. Maybe something like "that's probably 3 loops and an email" That's a couple hours for the loops... A couple more for the email, assuming HTML has to be dynamic based on a model with 5 values... Etc... Sure it's not identical every time, but the patterns are the same.

Sure, sometimes. Between that, the story point ideal of "... relative to other tasks completed in the project", and a long enough term project, things may start to look the same _in that project_.

It also depends on how much leeway your estimates can have: if it turns out to be waaaay more than two loops and an email, what happens? Does management just nod, or do they start "negotiations" about not paying for the work it took you over the "estimate"?

Re: Show HN: I built a free app to help devs create more accurate software estimates

#53

Post by itsdrewmiller »

ohpauleez wrote: post #49

I appreciate more attention being given to software estimates, but it seems like there's a lack of looking at the research in this area of software engineering. Most people have a single hocus-pocus equation that generates numbers they find convincing. Furthermore, it's often the case that these numbers are never changed over the life of the project. That would be like predicting the weather with a single model, once…

Do you have a source on the last point here? Hadn't heard that before but seems pretty noteworthy.

Re: Show HN: I built a free app to help devs create more accurate software estimates

#54

Post by ohpauleez »

itsdrewmiller wrote: post #53
ohpauleez wrote: post #49

I appreciate more attention being given to software estimates, but it seems like there's a lack of looking at the research in this area of software engineering. Most people have a single hocus-pocus equation that generates numbers they find convincing. Furthermore, it's often the case that these numbers are never changed over the life of the project. That would be like predicting the weather with a single model, once…

Do you have a source on the last point here? Hadn't heard that before but seems pretty noteworthy.

It's a finding from a Capers Jones report (I believe on the analysis of agile vs waterfall projects of varying sizes and durations). I'll see if I can dig up the exact report for you...

Re: Show HN: I built a free app to help devs create more accurate software estimates

#57

Post by throwaway2016a »

Love the idea.

But, please, if you do a demo video please include an alternative way to learn about your product. I recommend either a list of features and/or screenshots.

I can't always watch video:

1. Sometimes I don't have the time

2. Sometimes I don't have audio

2a. My headphones are packed away

2b. I'm using my cell phone in a public place

3. You have 30 seconds to sell me or at least get me to learn more. If your video is 2 minutes make sure you don't burry the lead. I have no idea if this is the case here because I couldn't watch the video (see: 2a) :(

I'm using "I" and "my" here but I'm sure I'm not alone. Same goes for the trend in news sites now to only have a video on their website and no summary.

Re: Show HN: I built a free app to help devs create more accurate software estimates

#58

Post by davzie »

fredsted wrote: post #47
danbmil99 wrote: post #44

Please, please, stop adding background music to these sorts of videos. It adds nothing but noise, and makes it hard to hear what the person is saying. If for some inexplicable reason you feel compelled to add music to an informational video, turn the volume way down and pan it left or right so those of us without perfect hearing can have some idea what's being said. Better yet, add subtitles.

I have good hearing and the music bothered me too. Way too loud.

Noted and fixed ;)
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