Budgets instead of Estimates
Estimating a feature is difficult and is often a guess (or even a lie).
An Estimate is for a fixed scope. So, you need to think deeply how to implement the feature, before giving an Estimate.
The business can then use the Estimate to decide if the feature is worth the cost (ROI).
And if we need more time than estimated the ROI could be way off.
Let’s flip the script.
The business decides first how much time they want to spend on a feature: The budget.
If time is fixed, then the scope must be flexible.
Time constraints decide how you are going to build a feature. Is it going to be a quick and dirty solution or a state-of-the-art solution? Or something in between.
The developer decides what he can do in the given time.
Instead of “What is the estimate for Feature X”
We ask: “Given 1 week time, can you deliver Feature X?”
What do you think?
