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The Product Experience

How to estimate responsibly in product - Neil Vass (Engineering Manager, The Co-op, BBC)

Jun 26, 2024
Engineering Manager Neil Vass discusses responsible estimation in product management, covering pitfalls like setting overly optimistic goals. They explore biases in estimation, improving estimation skills, and decision-making games like guessing the weight of a pound coin. The episode emphasizes widening estimation ranges for accuracy, feedback, and building trust within teams for successful estimations.
40:09

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Good estimation practices aid decision-making and set expectations.
  • Estimation should not be used as a performance metric to avoid gaming behavior.

Deep dives

Understanding Estimation in Product Development

Estimation in product development can be a challenging process. Neil Vass, an engineering manager at the UK's Co-op, highlights the importance of good estimation practices. He emphasizes that while estimation can be time-consuming and results may not always be accurate, it is crucial for making informed decisions. Neil suggests that teams should aim to move towards a 'no estimates' approach only if the conditions for success are already in place.

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