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  3. How do you estimate time

How do you estimate time

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  • L Lost User

    How do you estimate time fir writing code? If your manager ask you to give him a time for something to be done?

    My Name in English[^] Translation done By OriginalGriff

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    C Offline
    Christian Alain
    wrote on last edited by
    #37

    Usually I take a guess at first using the spec completeness and complexity and then I multiply by 2 or 3 depending on my knowledge of both the code and the architecture. How else do you expect to be seen as a miracle worker === Scotty STNG :laugh:

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    • M Marius ten Napel

      (MyEstimation + 15%)*2, well, ±...

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      L Offline
      Lost User
      wrote on last edited by
      #38

      I like the way you think

      My Name in English[^] Translation done By OriginalGriff

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      • L Lost User

        How do you estimate time fir writing code? If your manager ask you to give him a time for something to be done?

        My Name in English[^] Translation done By OriginalGriff

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        R Offline
        rubinstu
        wrote on last edited by
        #39

        Remember to offer to your customer (or boss) that they can get it done (1) fast, (2) cheap, or (3) good. Pick any two.

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        • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

          Experience. It's not an exact science - it's guess work based on "how long this took me last time" plus a bit of "how accurate and complete is the spec?" with a soupcon of "what else do I have to do at the same time?" and some extra "padding time to make me look good". Occasionally there is also "How much am I being paid for this?" and "how much do I like this guy and want to do this?" Complex. So about 8.73 working days, probably.

          G Offline
          G Offline
          Gary Huck
          wrote on last edited by
          #40

          42

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          • R rubinstu

            Remember to offer to your customer (or boss) that they can get it done (1) fast, (2) cheap, or (3) good. Pick any two.

            L Offline
            L Offline
            Lost User
            wrote on last edited by
            #41

            good advice

            My Name in English[^] Translation done By OriginalGriff

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            • L Lost User

              How do you estimate time fir writing code? If your manager ask you to give him a time for something to be done?

              My Name in English[^] Translation done By OriginalGriff

              S Offline
              S Offline
              Shelby Robertson
              wrote on last edited by
              #42

              محمد م. محمد wrote:

              How do you estimate time fir writing code?

              Badly

              CPallini wrote:

              You cannot argue with agile people so just take the extreme approach and shoot him. :Smile:

              L 1 Reply Last reply
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              • L Lost User

                How do you estimate time fir writing code? If your manager ask you to give him a time for something to be done?

                My Name in English[^] Translation done By OriginalGriff

                L Offline
                L Offline
                LarryC11
                wrote on last edited by
                #43

                There is something called COCOMO that was developed and used almost 30 years ago to estimate time although it may not be applicable exactly to your work. However, its approach of taking into account many various technical (e.g., estimated number of modules or lines of code) and human (e.g., number of developers on the team that are skilled and familiar with the technologies) factors is going in the right direction. But not matter what estimates are produced, management will browbeat the time downward and the development team almost always work like hell to meet the deadline.

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                • S Shelby Robertson

                  محمد م. محمد wrote:

                  How do you estimate time fir writing code?

                  Badly

                  CPallini wrote:

                  You cannot argue with agile people so just take the extreme approach and shoot him. :Smile:

                  L Offline
                  L Offline
                  Lost User
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #44

                  Shelby Robertson wrote:

                  CPallini wrote:

                  You cannot argue with agile people so just take the extreme approach and shoot him.
                  :Smile:

                  Are you referring that all agile people are males?

                  My Name in English[^] Translation done By OriginalGriff

                  S 1 Reply Last reply
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                  • L Lost User

                    Shelby Robertson wrote:

                    CPallini wrote:

                    You cannot argue with agile people so just take the extreme approach and shoot him.
                    :Smile:

                    Are you referring that all agile people are males?

                    My Name in English[^] Translation done By OriginalGriff

                    S Offline
                    S Offline
                    Shelby Robertson
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #45

                    محمد م. محمد wrote:

                    Are you referring that all agile people are males?

                    Yes. I think its illegal to shoot female software developers, as they are an endangered species.

                    CPallini wrote:

                    You cannot argue with agile people so just take the extreme approach and shoot him. :Smile:

                    L 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • L Lost User

                      How do you estimate time fir writing code? If your manager ask you to give him a time for something to be done?

                      My Name in English[^] Translation done By OriginalGriff

                      Y Offline
                      Y Offline
                      Yvan Rodrigues
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #46

                      I start by estimating a number based on experience. I only use factors of ~2. e.g. 1h, 2h, 4h, 8h, 1d, 2d, 4d, 2w, 1m, etc. Anything more specific is just a guess. Then I quadruple it. 1/4 is to make up for the fact that I'm lying to myself about how long it will take. 1/4 is for when I come across bug X in component Y and waste a day or more on it. 1/4 of that is so I can properly document the project, code, and write a developer's manual. I am meticulous about keeping track of my time, and lately I have been within 10% of my estimate. :cool:

                      Yvan Rodrigues, C.Tech. Red Cell Innovation Inc.

                      L 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • L Lost User

                        How do you estimate time fir writing code? If your manager ask you to give him a time for something to be done?

                        My Name in English[^] Translation done By OriginalGriff

                        R Offline
                        R Offline
                        RafagaX
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #47

                        It doesn't matter how you estimate it, because whatever you think it will take you, it'll take longer... Or just come up with a guesstimate and multiply it by two.

                        CEO at: - Rafaga Systems - Para Facturas - Modern Components for the moment...

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                        • L Lost User

                          How do you estimate time fir writing code? If your manager ask you to give him a time for something to be done?

                          My Name in English[^] Translation done By OriginalGriff

                          B Offline
                          B Offline
                          BrainiacV
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #48

                          I used to get stuck doing estimates, turns out I was fairly good at it, even though I hated every minute of it. They made me estimate the pieces and then brick them into a Microsoft Project file. I always gave them a tirade about how stupid that was, complaining all the while about what I called "Horizon Effect" (You see the mountain you want to climb in the distance, you bring pitons, ropes, and supplies, but after you get over the horizon you find that deep canyon and the fast running river running through it. Oops) But then I'd do it. Can't say how I did it. I'll guess that I looked at the complexity and could somehow estimate the volume of code which translates to how long it will take to write it. But that's experience talking about doing something similar to what I've done before. If it is totally new, all bets are off, that requires research and you don't know how deep that rabbit hole goes.

                          Psychosis at 10 Film at 11 Those who do not remember the past, are doomed to repeat it. Those who do not remember the past, cannot build upon it.

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                          • L Lost User

                            Does that include tea and fag breaks?

                            Veni, vidi, abiit domum

                            K Offline
                            K Offline
                            KP Lee
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #49

                            Richard MacCutchan wrote:

                            fag breaks

                            They prefer to be called gay and openly admitting to attacking them isn't good form.

                            L 1 Reply Last reply
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                            • L Lost User

                              How do you estimate time fir writing code? If your manager ask you to give him a time for something to be done?

                              My Name in English[^] Translation done By OriginalGriff

                              K Offline
                              K Offline
                              KP Lee
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #50

                              If you think it will take an hour estimate a work-day, if you can do it in a day, estimate 5 work days, a week -> 2 months. It's amazing how that works out to be pretty accurate. With the hour, you start coding, 10 minutes in, you go "what about..." You hunt down the guy who knows, get the answer. Start coding, someone asks you... By the end of the day snarl at anyone who dares approach you and finish the one hour project to be within estimate.

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                              • L Lost User

                                Think of a number, add 2 and multiply by 3.

                                Veni, vidi, abiit domum

                                J Offline
                                J Offline
                                James Lonero
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #51

                                Take the number they give you and multiply it by PI (3.14), for going around in circles.

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                                • S Shelby Robertson

                                  محمد م. محمد wrote:

                                  Are you referring that all agile people are males?

                                  Yes. I think its illegal to shoot female software developers, as they are an endangered species.

                                  CPallini wrote:

                                  You cannot argue with agile people so just take the extreme approach and shoot him. :Smile:

                                  L Offline
                                  L Offline
                                  Lost User
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #52

                                  Shelby Robertson wrote:

                                  I think its illegal to shoot female software developers

                                  This sound nerdish

                                  My Name in English[^] Translation done By OriginalGriff

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                                  • Y Yvan Rodrigues

                                    I start by estimating a number based on experience. I only use factors of ~2. e.g. 1h, 2h, 4h, 8h, 1d, 2d, 4d, 2w, 1m, etc. Anything more specific is just a guess. Then I quadruple it. 1/4 is to make up for the fact that I'm lying to myself about how long it will take. 1/4 is for when I come across bug X in component Y and waste a day or more on it. 1/4 of that is so I can properly document the project, code, and write a developer's manual. I am meticulous about keeping track of my time, and lately I have been within 10% of my estimate. :cool:

                                    Yvan Rodrigues, C.Tech. Red Cell Innovation Inc.

                                    L Offline
                                    L Offline
                                    Lost User
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #53

                                    Yvan Rodrigues wrote:

                                    Then I quadruple it.
                                    1/4 is to make up for the fact that I'm lying to myself about how long it will take.
                                    1/4 is for when I come across bug X in component Y and waste a day or more on it.
                                    1/4 of that is so I can properly document the project, code, and write a developer's manual.

                                    Where did the remaining 1/4 go?

                                    My Name in English[^] Translation done By OriginalGriff

                                    Y 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • K KP Lee

                                      Richard MacCutchan wrote:

                                      fag breaks

                                      They prefer to be called gay and openly admitting to attacking them isn't good form.

                                      L Offline
                                      L Offline
                                      Lost User
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #54

                                      In the UK a fag is a cigarette.

                                      Veni, vidi, abiit domum

                                      K 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • L Lost User

                                        In the UK a fag is a cigarette.

                                        Veni, vidi, abiit domum

                                        K Offline
                                        K Offline
                                        KP Lee
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #55

                                        In the US a fag can also mean a cigarette. I was kidding about it's other meaning. Drag changes based on context too, it could relate to a cigarette or a way of dressing. Strange language, English. Gay means happiness.

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                                        • L Lost User

                                          Yvan Rodrigues wrote:

                                          Then I quadruple it.
                                          1/4 is to make up for the fact that I'm lying to myself about how long it will take.
                                          1/4 is for when I come across bug X in component Y and waste a day or more on it.
                                          1/4 of that is so I can properly document the project, code, and write a developer's manual.

                                          Where did the remaining 1/4 go?

                                          My Name in English[^] Translation done By OriginalGriff

                                          Y Offline
                                          Y Offline
                                          Yvan Rodrigues
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #56

                                          The first quarter is my initial estimate.

                                          Yvan Rodrigues, C.Tech. Red Cell Innovation Inc.

                                          1 Reply Last reply
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