Time Estimations and Time Tracking

The Idea

• estimate work packages

• measure the actual time we're taking

• compare and learn

• do it better next time (and scale up?)

The Project: Clippy!

The Tool: Toggl

• shitty web client

• helpful integrations

• cool Chrome extension

• okay-ish desktop app(s)

• some cool stats

• This is not about measuring performance!
• It's about increasing estimation skills and experimenting with workflows.
• It's about small improvements.
• We're only talking about code implementations (i.e. no ideation or design work).

Disclaimer

Ze Results

Estimations

Estimations vs. Real

Deviations

Why such huge deviations?!

• Forgot to start timer sometimes…
• Forgot to pause timer during lunch breaks…
• Different task interpretations
• Surprises while developing
• Sebastian has fewer code knowledge, therefore estimations are more difficult (novelty, surprises, …)?

Analysis of deviations

• optimize personal workflow
• discover problems with codebase
• discover problems with knowledge transfer

Learnings

• Time Tracking is hard (at least at first)!
  • Easy to forget.
  • When (not) to track?
• Smaller tasks are easier to estimate/get right.
• Easier to focus and prioritize time when working with a timer.

Next Steps

• Further estimates + tracking to increase sample size (and insights)
• See how it goes for other projects
• Potential to estimate whole features and projects?
• You'll hear from us!

Thank you!

Comments? Questions?