Conventions Used

Some of the concepts and lessons around estimation can be noticed in our everyday lives. Where possible, I’ll use mundane stories that I hope you will identify with easily. Some of these stories are fictionalized, but they’re all based on personal experience.

Other stories are more specific to the business of software development. Since the needs being met via estimates vary greatly with the context of those needs, I’ll be using several fictitious companies to represent some of these contexts. These ersatz companies vary in size, focus, and organizational structure. They give us some structure for viewing estimation in the light of concrete details. These examples illustrate the more general principles that govern the needs and practices of estimation. While there are many more possibilities than these three organizations, these examples should help you understand how to apply the principles to your situation.

Empire Enterprises

Empire Enterprises is a large, diversified company with a centralized Information Technology department. The software they create is predominately for internal use. Some of it handles all the corporation’s accounting processes. Other systems support the work of the varied business lines which are the focus of other company divisions. It’s a continual juggling act to be responsive to the different divisions while keeping a focus on what provides the most benefit to the company as a whole.

Riffle & Sort

Riffle & Sort is a medium-sized business that does data processing for other companies. They started out in the 1980s providing payroll services for small businesses. As the business grew to be successful, they found that calculating payroll for their clients was getting to be more work than they could handle. Fortunately, the president’s son-in-law had become interested in personal computers and took on the task to automate some parts of the work. That grew over time, and now the company offers custom software solutions to address other clerical paperwork needs.

TinyToyCo

TinyToyCo has translated their online game, in which the player tries to keep a virtual cat happy with minimal cat treats and scratched hands, into a phone app where the cat clamors for attention at random times while you’re doing something else. Now they want to create a physical version: a robotic lap-seeking Fluphy Kitty™ toy.