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A comment on Cognitive Biases in Software Engineering. Parent comment

Re:Cognitive Biases in Software Engineering by pessimizer on Monday June 30, 2014 @11:42AM (#7965607)
Sometimes, for business reasons, it's crucial that you pull a number out of your ass. My policy is to make that number as high as will be acceptable by management, and to refuse the project if that number is less than twice the length of my worst case scenario nightmare. Then, deliver early. Basically the same as the OP.

Are you advocating something different here?

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Cognitive Biases in Software Engineering by chriswarbo on Monday June 30, 2014 @12:57PM (#7966107)
That's known as the Scotty Principle, or Scotty Factor ;)

http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?ScottyFactor

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Re:Cognitive Biases in Software Engineering by pessimizer on Tuesday July 01, 2014 @11:50AM (#7971474)
Never heard that before! Just seems the optimal way to look like you know what you're doing:)
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Re:Cognitive Biases in Software Engineering by afarrell on Tuesday July 01, 2014 @07:24AM (#7970080)
Well, I'm advocating finding a way to estimate things that doesn't involve pulling things out of your ass. Doing that has always felt a bit dishonest to me. Yet, I don't actually know any other method because I haven't finished the book.
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