Ah, software engineering estimates—the modern-day equivalent of predicting the weather while blindfolded, in a hurricane, with a broken barometer. 🌪️
Here’s how it usually goes down:
1. Manager: “How long will it take to build this feature?”
2. Engineer: Does quick mental math, multiplies by π, divides by the number of coffees consumed, consults the Oracle (aka Stack Overflow/ChatGPT etc.)— “Umm, about two weeks?”
3. Reality: Hold my beer 🍺
In two weeks, the engineer has:
• Discovered three more layers of legacy code that need refactoring. 🏛️
• Found out the feature request was actually for a completely different feature. 🔄
• Realized the new feature breaks half of the existing functionality. 🛠️
• Taken an unplanned vacation to the land of scope creep. 🏖️
By the end, you’re left with an estimate that was more optimistic than your grandma’s hope of you becoming a doctor. 🩺
So next time you’re asked for an estimate, remember: it’s not about the numbers—it’s about the journey. And the caffeine. Lots of caffeine. ☕
Estimates are estimates, not prophecies or deadlines. 🔮
Happy estimating! 🚀
Feel free to share and commiserate with your fellow code warriors! 😄