Estimation

How to Get Better at Estimation

We are consistently bad at estimation and are unapologetic about it. While tasks and projects overrun their estimates by 81% and 122% respectively, engineers often respond by saying that accurate estimation is impossible or not even valuable in the first place. We even come up with half-jokes such as the ninety-ninety rule to portray our inability as a natural law. However, accurate estimation can help a lot with planning, resource allocation, risk management, as well as minimizing resource waste and work in progress. To get better at estimation, we first need to start taking it seriously as a skill that has to be learned and practiced.