Estimation is the process of finding an estimate, or approximation, which is a value that is usable for some purpose even if input data may be incomplete, uncertain, or unstable.
5
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2answers
338 views
How do I survive in a Waterfall world? [duplicate]
I currently work in a company where the Waterfall model is deeply ingrained. We are pushing Agile principles but it's a long process. Meanwhile, I have to work in a Waterfall world with sequential ...
-1
votes
0answers
60 views
How to interpolate GPS data correctly? [migrated]
I'm working on a project that involves using linear interpolation to fit lines to
lat/lng points. I'm pretty new at scientific programming related stuff, and I was wondering if people could steer me ...
1
vote
2answers
315 views
How to ensure a project 100% tested?
I want to know how exactly, we can ensure that a project is 100% tested ?
In banking or financial applications not 1% also tolerable.
So being a developer, how can you say your code is 100% tested?
...
2
votes
2answers
454 views
Closest Point of Approach (CPA) mathematical formula in ship radar
I was recently searching for the mathematical formula to find closest point of approach (CPA) between one ship and another ship. I need to apply the formula in my radar ship program and I can't find ...
9
votes
11answers
659 views
User stories are too high level and conceptual, management expects developers to fill in the blanks
I am employed in a very brilliant company with a true intention of doing XP. Communication is good and management is open to constructive discussion but due to pressing time constraints, some certain ...
0
votes
1answer
64 views
Tool helping with estimations [closed]
I am looking for a tool supporting me with estimations.
What I would like to do is to specify a higher level task and break it into several smaller tasks. When a task is small enough, I could assign ...
4
votes
2answers
274 views
Efficient way to create a code estimation/technical specification in a fast-moving environment
To better understand my question, let me elaborate the background of the subject matter.
I work in a financial institution where the business module (credit finance) is constantly changing. In the IT ...
17
votes
1answer
276 views
Has research been done on the effectiveness of Planning Poker as an estimation technique?
Although it is a commonly held opinion that planning poker improves the accuracy of project estimations (a small sample of which demonstrated on this question), has any defined research been done on ...
42
votes
13answers
7k views
Why do we use story points instead of man days when estimating user stories?
In agile methodologies (e.g. SCRUM), the complexity/effort needed for a user stories are measured in Story points, and story points are used to calculate how many user story a team can take in an ...
2
votes
2answers
128 views
If you have several SCRUM teams working on one backlog, how do you divide story point estimation between those teams?
I'm asking because approach in my company looks as follows:
stories in the backlog are not estimated
team that picks the story estimates it in story points during sprint planning part two
0
votes
1answer
179 views
What are the best practices and strategies for transferring an outsourced software development project in-house? [closed]
What are the best methods of knowledge transfer?
What kinds of documentation should be expected?
What activities should take place before and after handover, both by the external party and ...
4
votes
4answers
457 views
Freelancing - Getting paid for the quote or estimate
It is often necessary to spend time designing a solution, breaking down the design into tasks and sub tasks and estimating the time it will take to complete each task in order to produce a reasonable ...
5
votes
6answers
379 views
What are the methods to estimate source code value?
I've been working on some project on my free time for the past few months. Recently I've been approached by friends to build a startup, and this source code would be very valuable to us.
As a ...
3
votes
2answers
208 views
Can I trust the Basic schedule equation?
I've been reading Steve McConnell's demystifying the black art of estimating book, and he gives an equation for estimating nominal schedule based on Person-months of effort:
ScheduleInMonths = 3.0 x ...
5
votes
5answers
618 views
Should you ever re-estimate user stories?
My current project is having a 'discussion' which is split down the middle- "this story is more complex than we originally thought, we should re-estimate" vs "you should never re-estimate as you only ...
3
votes
2answers
151 views
Using Completed User Stories to Estimate Future User Stories
In Scrum/Agile, the complexity of a user story can be estimated in story points. After completing some user stories, a programmer or team of programmers can use those experiences to better estimate ...
12
votes
8answers
874 views
Should you promise to deliver a feature that you aren't sure if its implementable?
In an article from HN, I came across the following advice:
Always tell your customer/user "yes", even if you're not sure. 90% of
the time, you'll find a way to do it. 10% of the time, you'll go ...
1
vote
2answers
146 views
Estimation Techniques for Linux Kernel Development
I am working in Linux Kernel area and my work includes:
code study / Understanding
Porting (say from one kernel version to another kernel version)
Implementation of new kernel module / Device driver
...
1
vote
1answer
92 views
Kernel module implementation estimate [closed]
I have a very abstract question about a kernel module writing estimate. How much dev-hours/months may required to write or, especially, port an existant kernel driver for a new PCI HBA from one ...
1
vote
1answer
145 views
Metrics / Methodology for estimating resource utilization for software in planning stage
I'm looking for approaches to estimate the resource utilization of an (web-)application in a JEE environment. The overall target is to get a forecast for hardware/software requirements while the ...
3
votes
6answers
322 views
Finishing an iteration early
I'd like some input on this on those working with agile methodologies...
A current project is finding that development on our planned user stories is finishing some time before the end of the ...
20
votes
10answers
2k views
How to add a new developer to the team
I run a small company composed of only 2 developers. We are building a very big application for one of our clients. Development on this project has gone on for 1.5 years.
Now this client has secured ...
0
votes
1answer
224 views
Certification for software project estimation [closed]
Is there a certification for software project estimation which is recognized in the industry?
I think I have fair experience in estimation. I would like to get a certification done which I can use my ...
1
vote
2answers
134 views
Estimating time for planning and technical design using Evidence Based Scheduling
I'm at the beginning of a development project in a large organization.
The Functional Requirements are currently being worked out and documented with our business stakeholders by our Enterprise ...
11
votes
6answers
591 views
How can I estimate projects when I need to include a learning curve for new technology?
Sometimes, there are research and development projects where nothing is known in advance about the technology, concepts, and client. However, the manager still needs time estimates. What can I do to ...
1
vote
2answers
663 views
Good examples for teaching software estimation (size, schedule, effort)?
I'm going to be teaching a class that covers a broad brush of estimation techniques. I intend to cover absolute estimation techniques based on SLOC (e.g. Function Points, COCOMO II etc.) and ...
13
votes
5answers
2k views
Scrum - how to carry over a partially complete User Story to the next Sprint without skewing the backlog
We're using Scrum and occasionally find that we can't quite finish a User Story in the sprint in which it was planned. In true Scrum style, we ship the software anyway and consider including the User ...
11
votes
3answers
447 views
How to handle estimates for programmers joining the team?
Iteration has already started, new programmer joins the team, task X has already been estimated to be 30 hours by a different developer.
What is the best practice in this situation?
new developer ...
7
votes
3answers
342 views
Agile estimation with tech-debt
When estimating (story points) a story that consists on extending a current functionality with a known tech-debt, should we consider the effort that will be spent to refactor the current code or ...
2
votes
2answers
603 views
What is the significance of 10 characters in this Uncle Bob post?
In this blog posting by Uncle Bob
http://blog.8thlight.com/uncle-bob/2012/04/20/Why-Is-Estimating-So-Hard.html
Author states a possible solution to the problem at hand. He writes "Try this. Break ...
0
votes
2answers
615 views
Which user-story estimation technique is better? [closed]
I found two techniques for estimating user stories:
by the size of the story, which is unit-less
by the time estimate, which is measured by days
The first uses relative comparison between stories ...
1
vote
1answer
183 views
Project estimates for unreal tasks
I'm a developer in large IT company that is centered around providing services to clients (by that I mean development department is <20 people and not a major part of organisation). I'm solving ...
2
votes
1answer
267 views
How do I count Internal Logical Files (ILF) and External Inputs (EI) for a dynamic form entry page?
Assuming I have an applicant information entry screen, the number and types of fields on which can be defined by the system administrator, how do I go about counting the number of Internal Logical ...
9
votes
8answers
824 views
Dealing with estimates as a junior programmer
I have been working for a couple of months now in a company that estimates (for the general population, not juniors specifically) tasks and then we are given the task, solve it, it goes through two ...
10
votes
4answers
252 views
Handling “related” work within a single agile work item
I'm on a project team of 4 devs, myself included. We've been having a long discussion on how to handle extra work that comes up in the course of a single work item.
This extra work is usually things ...
6
votes
3answers
170 views
Is it proper to have Investigation task in sprint
I have been practicing agile for more than a year now. As part of our sprint, some times we will have Investigation Tasks. We skip poker planning for theses tasks, and adds blanket numbers.
Theses ...
5
votes
4answers
367 views
Why is it suggested stories be sized to 2-3 days?
If sprints are on average 10 days, why is it often suggested stories be sized to 2-3 days?
Related Question: How to handle backlog-items that are longer than one sprint?
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votes
4answers
839 views
How many user stories per person should be completed per sprint?
Just ran across this figure, and wondering if there's another well know source than would help confirm these numbers:
Based on data I analyzed on successfully finished sprints, I
determined that ...
4
votes
3answers
3k views
How to estimate sprint velocity with varying team capacity?
We are a small team of 4 devs rather green in Scrum. Coming from all over the country, we often take odd days off or whole weeks off to go home. Therefore our team capacity changes dramatically from ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
How to estimate a timeboxed spike using story points?
So my team and I are quite new to Scrum and today moved from estimating in Ideal Hours to Story Points. All seems sound rationale, BUT with timeboxed activities. Here is the case, we have an ...
4
votes
3answers
199 views
How to infer my Assumptions I based my time estimate on?
In an answer on how to make time estimates it is said to write down all your assumptions you made when estimating a project. Seems like a good plan.
Problem is, by assuming I already made an ass out ...
16
votes
4answers
714 views
How to Determine # of Programmers needed for a project
How do you know how many programmers a particular project needs to be successful?
The company I work for fulfills orders for client companies. We have written an in-house warehouse management ...
2
votes
1answer
986 views
Personal Software Process (PSP1)
I'm trying to figure out an exercise but it doesn't really makes to much sense.. I'm not asking someone to provide the solution. just to try and analyse what needs to be done in order to solve this. ...
0
votes
4answers
293 views
How do you estimate? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How to respond when you are asked for an estimate?
What are the estimation methods you use in real world projects and found it to be useful. I know there will be lot of ...
5
votes
1answer
130 views
Estimation of Effort and Schedule for a project with almost no familiar elements
To the best of my understanding the schedule for the project is derived using the effort estimates for the individual tasks (in person hours), and the number of relevant resources used for the ...
5
votes
2answers
315 views
Calculation of Milestones/Task list
My project manager assigned me a task to estimate the development time for an iPad application. Lets assume that I gave estimation of 15 working days. He thought that the number of days where too many ...
0
votes
1answer
517 views
When will be your project finished? How long does it take to complete it? Any idea how do you estimate such timing on the spot? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How to respond when you are asked for an estimate?
In my company, i have a strange managers, they always asks me before starting how is it going? And how long it will ...
4
votes
6answers
392 views
How to measure when a software project is complete?
I have very limited experience in software project management roles, and I was asked this question by another engineer and I was sort of stumped.
How do I measure when a software project is complete?
...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
In Scrum, what to do when story points and task hours don't roughly correlate?
Our development team is pretty new to the scrum process, so I would like to help refine our methods to make better use of it. In particular, I noticed that the correlation between story points and ...
3
votes
4answers
215 views
is there any relationship between a story point in two different projects?
Assume we have two projects and one or more teams (one team doing the projects in serial or two teams doing the projects in parallel).
If Team A decides that a task is 8 story points and Team B ...
