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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

    R Offline
    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.

    L 1 Reply Last reply
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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
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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

                    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
                        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

                          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

                              1 Reply Last reply
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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.

                                    1 Reply Last reply
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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.

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