{"id":767,"date":"2013-05-17T14:26:07","date_gmt":"2013-05-17T22:26:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/zuill.us\/WoodyZuill\/?p=767"},"modified":"2014-09-14T17:53:21","modified_gmt":"2014-09-15T01:53:21","slug":"the-noestimates-hashtag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zuill.us\/WoodyZuill\/2013\/05\/17\/the-noestimates-hashtag\/","title":{"rendered":"The NoEstimates Hashtag"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Twitter, we use the convention of “hashtags” to connect a tweet with a theme or topic so that it is easy (or at least a bit easier) to search and find tweets for topics we want to follow.<\/p>\n

Several people have blamed me for coining the “#NoEstimates” hashtag.\u00a0 It might be true – I’m not sure.\u00a0 It is possible that I was the first to use this hashtag for Software Development – a search of Twitter history on it shows that, as far as I can tell.<\/p>\n

[UPDATE: I found the following post from Aslak Helles\u00f8y – @aslak_hellesoy dated Feb 10, 2010 that used this hashtag<\/p>\n

@obie at #speakerconf: “Velocity is important for budgeting”. Disagree. Measuring cycle time is a richer metric. #kanban #noestimates.]<\/p>\n

SO… What is the Topic of the #NoEstimates Hashtag?<\/h4>\n

Here it is, as defined by me.\u00a0 Others probably have their own idea:<\/p>\n

#NoEstimates<\/a> is a hashtag for the topic of exploring alternatives to estimates [of time, effort, cost] for making decisions in software development.\u00a0 That is, ways to make decisions with “No Estimates”.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I’ll probably modify this a bit over time – I put this together quickly as a starting point.<\/p>\n

Also, A Word About Estimates<\/h4>\n

Estimates are typically and pervasively used in the decision-making process throughout software development organizations and efforts – both in\u00a0“phased\/waterfall” and “Agile” methodologies.\u00a0 They are\u00a0ubiquitous – it is rare to find a project\/organization\/effort where it isn’t simply accepted that “we must have estimates – it is the only way”.<\/p>\n

Additionally, for a long time I’ve been\u00a0noticing that almost every training, book, conference session, article, or blog on “Agile” software development has a very heavy focus on estimating.\u00a0 I’m fine with important things taking a lot of our attention – they are important, after all. Are estimates that important?<\/p>\n

I’ve also noticed over the years that many organizations have a number of dysfunctions in how estimates are handled, and the overall decision making process that depends on estimates.\u00a0 Have you noticed any dysfunctions?<\/p>\n

So… I started doing “5 why sessions” or similar exercises\u00a0at conferences and user groups,\u00a0and other investigations into the reasons for this, and the dysfunctions that people have been experiencing.\u00a0 I also started discussing alternative ways to manage software development efforts without using estimates. I’ve been working without estimates for years for many decisions that are typically “estimate-driven” \u00a0in software development management, and some people are interested in how to do this.<\/p>\n

It’s important to ask ourselves questions such as: Do we really need estimates? Are they really\u00a0that important?\u00a0 Are there options? Are there other ways to do things? Are there BETTER ways to do thing?<\/p>\n

If we are willing to simply play the “devil’s advocate”, and imagine (or at least temporarily pretend)\u00a0that perhaps there are better ways to make decisions, it can lead to more open thinking and clarity as to why we “believe the things we believe”.\u00a0 Why not question the\u00a0things we hold so dearly?<\/p>\n

There ya go!\u00a0 Have Fun!<\/h3>\n

<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In Twitter, we use the convention of “hashtags” to connect a tweet with a theme or topic so that it is easy (or at least a bit easier) to search and find tweets for topics we want to follow. Several people have blamed me for coining the “#NoEstimates” hashtag.\u00a0 It might be true – I’m […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,22,24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-estimating","category-no-estimating","category-noestimates"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zuill.us\/WoodyZuill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zuill.us\/WoodyZuill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zuill.us\/WoodyZuill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zuill.us\/WoodyZuill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zuill.us\/WoodyZuill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=767"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/zuill.us\/WoodyZuill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/767\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":770,"href":"https:\/\/zuill.us\/WoodyZuill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/767\/revisions\/770"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zuill.us\/WoodyZuill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zuill.us\/WoodyZuill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zuill.us\/WoodyZuill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}