This month I want to highlight an article, 11 Laws of Software Estimation for Complex Work, by Maarten Dalmijn. The author recounts a challenging situation he encountered as a Product Manager, and then describes 11 truths about software estimation that apply in any scenario. The word “estimate” means “to determine roughly the size, extent, or nature of.” We estimate software development all the time, and we are meant to apply those estimates to mechanisms that embrace and account for the uncertainty. Yet we consistently fail to adapt to the uncertainty, and fall into familiar traps where we are surprised by the lack of precision. This article provides great insight into the fallibility of estimates, and offers methods on how to use estimates responsibly.

https://mdalmijn.com/11-laws-of-software-estimation-for-complex-work

“9. Building something increases the accuracy of estimates more than talking about building it.”