Hi there,

This week I have a mix of things to write about. I'll start by talking a little bit about estimation. I wrote an article about the way I use a technique called affinity estimation. It focuses on really rapid relative sizing and only assigning a value to your estimates at the end. I tend to use this as a default technique when the real question is about risk and what kind of ball-park are we looking at for size. One thing I didn't get into in the article is that though the estimates are really coarse if you are very attentive in capturing the assumptions people make and questions they ask as they estimate, you'll be ready to de-risk the work.

Next week I'm going to give a talk to a university about what it takes to become a senior engineer. I had given thoughts to creating another email series like my Dev Career Essentials and High Performing Team. If you haven't seen those, check them out! I think it will be recorded, and I'll try and share the link whenever I get ahold of it.

Last, and probably most important on my mind is that I'm looking for new clients! I'd love to talk to you or anyone you introduce me to someone who is looking for:

• Getting better results after "Going agile"
• Developing high-performing teams with a focus on speed, quality, and collaboration
• Developing comprehensive product strategies
• De-risking product-market fit

I also can offer workshops on a number of topics, and I'll be updating my website for ease of sharing.

I'd love to talk to you or anyone you know.

Let's Talk

Hope you have a great weekend!

Here's my weekly update for March 12th, 2021...

🗒️ How to Estimate Anything Quickly

Estimating projects, huge ones, seems to be an activity that causes groans and protests.

I understand why.

Often there’s a tension between accuracy and knowing that they can’t be accurate.

When confronted with estimating a large body of work, I employ a variation on affinity estimating that takes 10 minutes and gives a preview of where the monsters are hiding in the road ahead.

Click here to read more

Enjoy,

Ryan Latta