(cough! cough! "scrum")
(cough! cough! "agile")
(cough! cough! "daily stand-ups")
(cough! cough! "agile")
(cough! cough! "daily stand-ups")
How big is the task; 10 story points
How long will that take; depends on our velocity
Can it be done by this date; we're not allowed to plan that far ahead. You can put it in the 'icebox'. We might get to it eventually.
If (1) everyone is highly effective in getting tasks done, and (2) working on tasks that are reasonably well prioritized by both technical risks and business value, why exactly do you need to know more?
There are legitimate reasons that a business may need a date. But making sure people are working harder than hard by beating them over the head with a date coughed out by a gantt chart is not one of the legitimate reasons.
Of course that was not childish silly sneaking and turned out we have as a team a lot better partnership with business. We deliver what is needed and can be finished.
I understand not everyone has luck to end up in such environment but it confirms there is no silver bullet. Only having right people is real silver bullet.