Question 1

Why shouldn't stakeholders challenge development estimates?

Accepted Answer

Challenging an estimate is valid when backed by new facts, but when a stakeholder pushes for a lower number without understanding the implementation, it's like telling a meteorologist their forecast is wrong. The development team doesn't control the actual effort — they forecast it based on their knowledge of the codebase, team velocity, and past data.

Question 2

What happens when you push developers for a lower estimate?

Accepted Answer

It leads to diminished trust, unrealistic expectations, and poor planning. An artificially lowered estimate sets a bad expectation for when software will be delivered. The team can only lower effort by skipping parts of their process and delivering lower-quality software — which typically costs more later.

Question 3

Can you negotiate a software development estimate?

Accepted Answer

You can't negotiate the effort, but you can negotiate the scope. Instead of pushing for a lower number, have a different discussion: ask what part of the story takes the most time, where the biggest unknowns are, and how the story could be sliced into smaller deliverables. Find ways to leave out features that require lots of effort but have the least value.

Question 4

What should you discuss instead of challenging an estimate?

Accepted Answer

Focus on productive discussions with your stakeholders: how much can you spend on this story, what parts take the most time, where are the biggest unknowns, and can you slice the story into smaller deliverables. Discuss ways to validate each part early using prototypes, and find where scope can be reduced without losing core value.

Question 5

Why do stakeholders push for lower estimates in agile?

Accepted Answer

Stakeholders often challenge estimates because they genuinely believe the work can be done faster, think the effort is too high compared to the feature's value, want to influence the team through anchoring bias, or aim to negotiate a number that fits a specific timeline. In all cases, pushing the estimate down without new information doesn't change the actual effort — it just sets unrealistic expectations.

No, It’s Less Effort Than That! Why Challenging Estimates Will Backfire

Estimates

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