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The most popular article on my blog is called "How To Estimate Like an Adult":

http://www.writemoretests.com/2012/02/how-to-estimate-like-a...

Estimation is a skill, like any other part of learning to be a good software engineer. People shouldn't be making excuses for their poor estimation skills after ten years of experience...



I think this is a good point, but, also, see edw519's comment at the top. You should work on your estimation skills, but management should understand the values you give them are for the work, not necessarily today + your estimation. Stuff happens, and your estimates seem to slip, but in reality, they could be spot-on for actual time it would take do the task without interruption.


Estimation is a skill, but since projects rarely are the same it can't be applied properly.

It's the classic of confusing how we would like things to be with how they actually are.




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