Often the person asking wants to know so that they can plan. One way would be to put: Requesting Status Update (on the subject line) and write something similar to: As discussed, I am waiting for ________(name of project) which has a deadline of ________ and I would like to know, as of immediately, the status and your expected date of completion.. I'm stressed by having software deadlines imposed on me without my involvement. Any alternative approaches to the two I have given. Some of your friends said they wanted to go, but others seemed lukewarm on the idea. Planned Maintenance scheduled March 2nd, 2023 at 01:00 AM UTC (March 1st, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. You estimate valiantly, "one week". Make them sit down, read, and agree to your assumptions (or, if you're lucky, get them to give in and give you real requirements). ETC is another good acronym for this situation. $5,000 Builder Price Increase Effective Immediately for March. Saying that and nothing else lands you in severe danger of being considered uncooperative. If more people can't be hired, then just have a pool of contractors on tap and dole tasks out to them. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. 37 Plus years in the industry These people are paying your salary with their projects. . How much do you feel improved today? Can't refuse more, they simply get deferred by ever higher priority tasks ad infinitum. You think this is ridiculous, you think you can pull this off in one week. Field service and maintenance companies can easily monitor these times using live tracking. Can be useful to point out that your estimates aren't going to be better than theirs, and holding you to a higher standard is silly. Of course, make this a computer application, not a physical board. Other than statistics approach, one simple way to have a good estimation of the current speed while erasing some noise or spikes is to take a weighted approach. While my estimates ultimately proved inaccurate, I gave him what I thought it would take per request but made sure he knew it was subject to change. Ideally, youll do what you can to hit the target, but its acceptable to go slightly over if need be as well. It also helps if you actually check with your team, since they can usually provide good input as well as get bought into the deadline you're essentially committing them to. Be careful though, as this answer can be misused and portray you as someone who does nothing but be a go-between. And the answer to the follow-up question is. Ive received an ETC of five hours on this one. In todays office, its just a fact: People blow off deadlines. The optimal weights for the linear combination can be fitted using linear regression (a one-liner in R). However, real life is such that sometimes they just dont. Just be polite and ask if they had got around to it yet. their associated calculated values. Continue with Recommended Cookies. As we mentioned, estimated completion time refers to the time a service request is expected to be finished. Thats about all we can cope with. If you go over the deadline specified, you missed the point of by. Naturally, this could put you in your bosss bad books, so be careful with the times you set here! He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Thanks for your answer. Three-point estimating. Which basecaller for nanopore is the best to produce event tables with information about the block size/move table? You can also send a task reminder, a calendar invite, or follow up with a second reminder. If we hurry it up anymore, were going to lose a lot of quality work! In general, honesty is best, be upfront about it, and keep him in the loop. I keep track of the best and worst case averages and compute a range of possible ETCs. Katie Holmes is a senior author at everyday-courtesy.com with over 15 years of experience in marketing and psychology. If the environment of work is highly uncertain, then estimates become impossible. The excuses are usually something along the lines of, Oh, sorry. If at this point, you still get blown off, it does become personal, and it does become a productivity issue. Thanks for contributing an answer to Stack Overflow! I would wait longer, but usually someone will crack before that. It is only ever estimated, though, so it is liable to change depending on certain situations.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'grammarhow_com-box-3','ezslot_1',105,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-grammarhow_com-box-3-0'); ETA is a great acronym that relates to the estimated time of completion. Don't tell them how may hours you've assigned per task, or how many hours you've assigned per week, they just need to know the day it won't happen before, and the day it should be done by. Never write "it will work on IE8 or higher", be specific. Decompose this model and build estimates from the components. . The new feature will probably break some assumptions you made in your You can do better, if you are permitted more time with which to prepare your estimate, and are given more data upon which you can base your estimate. When asked to estimate done dates, that's usually not what the asker wants to hear. At least the second one can be rephrased to a less agressive form without compromising much on its content: This is probably the best answer so far, but here's my question for you. A simple way to get that is to have a factor that is a percentage of the completion, that you use to tweak the estimated remaining time. We're often asked for an "ballpark estimate" during meetings where we're given very broad and vauge ideas of what they'd like to do. being polite . Why does Jesus turn to the Father to forgive in Luke 23:34? rclayton.silvrback.com/software-estimation-is-a-losing-game, marcgg.com/blog/2015/08/27/deadlines-estimates-software-startup, The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master, programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/132970/, The open-source game engine youve been waiting for: Godot (Ep. Option 1: Assign both users and estimated hours to a task at the same time. @ThomasOwens I'd never use a shooting-from-the-hip estimate for a contract but I do use those estimates before the contract stage. They havent given me an exact time for it yet, but Ill keep trying! Here is a phrase you can use: "Dear (Recruiter), Thank you so much for the opportunity to interview with your company. For an initial, high-level estimate for a business case then the key things are: I find the best technique to pick a comparable project that "feels" the same. Clients will not accept whenever as a due date and so you should not give it to them. The 'done' definition is probably unclear: When will it be done? To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Statistical Learning by Hastie, Tibshirani and Friedman. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. If you are unsure about how you are asking, try writing it out, or rehearsing your (polite) request for a deadline with somebody you trust to give you honest feedback. So it's an approximate number or range that gives a general idea of cost and that may help a prospect decide whether they would like to take the discussion further. I went into the code, figured out what lines needed to be changed, what other parts of the program it would affect, how much testing I'd have to do to ensure that things still worked. What matters is that you were 3 days off from a one week estimate. Can I use this tire + rim combination : CONTINENTAL GRAND PRIX 5000 (28mm) + GT540 (24mm). Takedown request | View complete answer on uplandsoftware.com How do you ask did you check politely? Everyone should keep in mind the risks that come with software development estimating: underestimating, overestimating, total epic fail scenario etc. We have a safety issue with overhanging limbs from a large maple tree on 125 Maples property. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. What can I do to get better at estimating how long projects are going to take? I imagine it ultimately comes down to company culture, or the disposition of those who you are working with. If you want to go, please let me know by 4:00 p.m. Hope you can make it! So he'd decide whether it was worth 8.5 hours of pay. However, the most effective thing you can do is twofold. Passing the buck (i.e. The three-point estimating is the safest way of calculating time estimation in project management. ), 9 Other Ways to Say Im Good At on a Resume, 10 Polite Ways to Say No Visitors after Surgery, 11 Best Ways to Say Im Here for You to a Loved One, 10 Professional Ways to Say I Am Not Feeling Well. What are good methods given the start time and the current progress? Has Microsoft lowered its Windows 11 eligibility criteria? Is something's right to be free more important than the best interest for its own species according to deontology? Nag a little if needed, but use the human touch to explain what you need and by when you need it. Is it going to be within the next three hours or not? How to find list of possible words from a letter matrix [Boggle Solver]. Don't do an estimate at this point. It's part of your job. Jordan's line about intimate parties in The Great Gatsby? Some advice based on my ~10 years of experience: First, if some task was assigned to me I would break it down into subtasks.I would estimate the time for each subtasks and probably with subtasks I would be able to find the problematic area and hence I would be able to forecast how long it would take to a certain extent. Really, you can tell that some people cant take the silence. I find planning poker to be a great technique here. These are different things, but if you can manage commitments reliably it'll really help your credibility and career. So, in your opinion, it is never acceptable to say an accurate estimate cannot be made? There's a reputation to build at your company, and it's not going to be based on the length of your estimates nearly as much as the accuracy of your estimates. Tasks are added to and (sometimes) removed from queue constantly. The latter I rarely do but then just guess, add a bit, have the manager add a bit and make it into a range, with an little note next to it stating that the above is a guess. It depends on the organization and how the estimates are used. It part of what you are being paid for, so stop copping out with "whenever." When will be your project finished? Whats the ETC were looking at here? The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? what date should it be completed by? Youre not going to get this delivered in time, are you? You need to complete this to graduate. Its not going to be completed by the original time we stated. A newly proposed product or project will be similar (in size) to one or more already completed products or projects. Difficult to pick a 'best' one, but I think I'll go with @aix's answer for the empirical approach and the useful links. How can I make a boss (or colleague) be more careful when estimating the complexity of a task/project? Not the developer's he has no role in determining priorities. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. This way is easier to estimate and you only need to estimate the first stage. End time is a confident phrase like completion time. Its a good way of showing that something will come to an end at a specific moment. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. is a more plainly aggressive response where someone is meddling in your business but not taking care of theirs. Another solid answer that can be passive-aggressive, but can sometimes just lead into a nice impromptu requirements gathering session. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Which Is Correct: Delivered To Or Delivered At? When you are asked to estimate due dates, is there a especially polite But it does. Improve estimated completion time via better algo/filter etc. So when my boss would ask in the standup (we work with Agile development) I would give him my best estimate and explain why I thought that. tl;dr: I want to predict file copy completion. let me know that they need to assess the situation and come up with a solution. What are some tools or methods I can purchase to trace a water leak? Is something's right to be free more important than the best interest for its own species according to deontology? You have other things to do from past assignments and you will have to The speed at which technology now moves us did leave some niceties by the roadside. If dark matter was created in the early universe and its formation released energy, is there any evidence of that energy in the cmb? Have you gathered enough information to find out the exact time frame? This is pretty easy to understand, and it is also clear that there is lots of uncertainty in those guesses. In 2007 Congress added a provision into the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) that requires agencies to provide a requester with an estimated date by which the agency expects to complete work on a request, when the requester asks for one. Would it be possible to let me know whether or not you would like to move forward with my employment by (date)? Continue with Recommended Cookies. All these are legitimate reasons for not having a good estimate, but they are also problems you need to be proactively raising with your manager (or in the first case, you could get an acknowledgement from them that the task can slip to allow for higher priority stuff). "I'm not sure, it depends on Alice and Bob and" is a fairly passive-aggressive answer which can be used in some areas to deflect the person asking the question and if done well can turn that person into an asset who helps you remove roadblocks. Dont just make them wait. If youre crushing on someone, dont play mind games, he says. Any idea how do you estimate such timing on the spot? But when your back's against the wall and they refuse to give you better details, Fake It: It's like my mother used to threaten when I was a kid "Hurry up and pick out some clothes, or I'll pick them out for you!". I'm afraid, however, that the problem is that most organizations want estimates of much bigger tasks than the ones that can be expressed in .1 hour chunks. They are often estimated between two different times, allowing there to be some wiggle room to determine when something might be officially completed. A target isnt always set in stone, and its possible for you to move it around it you need to accommodate certain changes to a deadline or structure.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'grammarhow_com-banner-1','ezslot_9',107,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-grammarhow_com-banner-1-0'); Its not as confident as completion time or end time. It works well because it gives you a target, but it doesnt always require you to hit it. The project will be delivered within the next twenty-four hours. But if you slip into the 180th or 210th day, not so much. Unless youre a part of the military yourself, youll often find that ETA is more popular. when in a new job position. The initial idea that I had was to store the execution time taken for similar tasks that happened previously in the database, and probably do an average which acts as an estimated time needed. @nobrandheroes That's probably worth another question. There are companies/cultures where "When it's done." Calculate the estimate based on your model. ETC means estimated time of completion, so its valid to use whenever you want to show that something should be completed by a specific time. Instead, you can convey your estimate, and give a degree of accuracy to your estimate. Some great suggestions here on all answers. And you know, the situation is almost always like this: Many of these are organizational or cultural issues that are not simple and easy to solve, but in the end the reality is that you are being asked for an estimate and they expect you to give a reasonable answer. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. If you can't say something about when you will be done, the project ends up being even later and often costing more money. But you realize that X will be delayed by three days if I do it, right? Or perhaps: No, unless this other task can be discarded (permanently). by accurate I mean that a stakeholder holds you accountable for. Don't do this! In this case, its business, and its not so much about politely asking, its about telling. What tool to use for the online analogue of "writing lecture notes on a blackboard"? Saying "5 to 6 months" is different than saying "150 days". Track your estimates. How to break the cycle of being a "load bearing employee" because of no time to cross-train others because of constant deadlines? You have other things to do from past assignments and you will have to come up with an estimate that takes that other work into account. And if he did want to invest the 8.5 hours, the detail work I did for the estimate was work I'd have had to do anyway. Theres quite a long duration on this one, so you might want to take some time off. Get the Ebook, Succeed in 101 Situations! Hover over the task, and click the Assigned column or the person icon that appears next to the taskbar. We need it in writing ASAP. Method 1. How possible is it to estimate time for programming projects? 1 day to do analysis, and then provide a tighter range), If the task it too large, break it up and provide a range for each piece. I did development for a guy who was very adamant about wanting accurate estimates. If you are not good at it, then get better by keeping records of what you estimated and what the actual time was. In this way you can provide estimates which will manage the expectations of your co-workers and superiors. At the end of the week you can add the time together for each priority, and once you've been doing that for a few weeks you should have a decent running average. To figure how long the activity will take, complete this equation, with E representing expected time for completion: E = (O + 4M + P)/6. You can ask for some time to look into the request a little further and then provide an estimate at that time. The food sounds amazing. Complete Or Completed? Start by trying to get that deadline in writing: (Boss), thank you for letting me know about that project that is coming up. If not, then he saved 7.5 hours over what it would've cost him if I'd done it without an estimate. Best, (signature). 10 hours a week? Firstly, I am aware that this is not at all a simple problem, and that predicting the future is difficult to do well. Estimates given at the coffee machine will (like the coffee) come back to haunt you. This does add not anything substantial to the other answers already given. Pretty much every good manager I've had has learned to recognize "Two weeks!" There are occasions in life both business and social when you need a deadline. Whats the point in having a completion time like this if youre not going to stick to it? 'Done' as in just finished coding it, or 'done' as in "the users are This gives you extra room to work with to make sure that you will get a task completed within a certain time. To estimate the queries according to their interaction aware scheme because queries are run in batches. total completion time. Read more about Martin here. how to ask for estimated time of completion emailthe hardy family acrobats 26th February 2023 / in was forest whitaker in batteries not included / by / in was forest whitaker in batteries not included / by This is kind of confusing to show in a GUI, but okay to show in a command line app. A more robust technique for this might be to use the Kalman filter, whose purpose is exactly this: Its purpose is to use measurements observed over time, containing If you are asking for something and you need it by a specific date, be crystal clear. But, since the Requirements aren't written yet, I will be able to provide a more precise estimate once I read them." Those are important, in case you need future documentation that an employee is not doing their job properly. that tend to be closer to the true values of the measurements and The screenshot below shows a dispatcher's view of service professionals' live status. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. No matter how conscious you are of all these things, sometimes your Having said that, "When will you be done?" Let them go fight out the priorities with the managers. Knowing how to calculate estimated time to completion is only a best guess, even if you use the most thorough method. As such, this stops your manager from planning out the bigger picture. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. Youll be waiting for ages if you dont! Learners will be exposed to state-of-the-art methodologies and to considering the challenges of various types of projects. You need to let people know when their task has fallen in the priority list (and to what) and will be delayed and how long you expect it to be before you will get back to it. How long is acceptable to wait for a text? Im really. And then instead of answering with "2 Months", you can answer with "sounds like an L to me" (or whatever your calibration for project turns out to be). Difference Explained (Helpful Examples), What Does Within 24 hours Mean? If there are tasks that need to be done that never get done, you can consider implementing an time-based priority level increase. A common issue is that a neighbors tree may encroach onto your property. in your estimate to get a better number. Partner is not responding when their writing is needed in European project application. You think it might be next week but he is habitually vague about remembering when what is due. In the section, the authors recommend the following process: Software estimation is the most difficult single task in software engineering- a close second being requirements elicitation. . Make assumptions to fill in the gaps based on your best guess of what they want. Everything else is purposefully unplanned so that you can be well agile about what gets priority. I suggest you to have regular progress update for your boss, customer or any stakeholder. And realize that your clients asking for estimates will be totally inaccurate here about how they word things and understand the technical aspects of what you say. It came to around 20-25% of what I billed. What are the underlying data structures used for Redis? Suspicious referee report, are "suggested citations" from a paper mill? If the requirements are clear, you can estimate with a 20% error margin. Estimated time to complete is a value that is expressed in hours of work required to complete a task or project. Centering layers in OpenLayers v4 after layer loading, Am I being scammed after paying almost $10,000 to a tree company not being able to withdraw my profit without paying a fee. This won't involve a change to your process/queue/prioritization - just a little extra work in time tracking of each task. Im not sure when theyll have this delivered. Martin holds a Masters degree in Finance and International Business. I appreciate how patient youve been. Duration gives you an idea of how long something will take. Browse other questions tagged, Where developers & technologists share private knowledge with coworkers, Reach developers & technologists worldwide. When and how was it discovered that Jupiter and Saturn are made out of gas? Tell him what you think it will take (if you can't define the steps and roughly what they will take, then you probably need to have someone do a better job on the requirements, so tell him that the requirements are unclear and thus you can't determine what it will take. Use tools such as Business Requirements Analysis, Work Breakdown Structures, Gap Analysis, and Drill-Down to do this in sufficient detail. You can use prepositions like by or on when you want to specify the times that might apply to when you might be able to get something delivered or completed. Perhaps 'about 2 hours, currently stalled' Sincerely, 123 Maple Street.. code and you start thinking immediately of all the things you might Dealing with hard questions during a software developer interview, Centering layers in OpenLayers v4 after layer loading. Start time, end time. Post Sennings general rule is to not wait longer than one to three hours to reply, he tells TI. I dont mind an estimate, but I dont like the three-hour disparity between your numbers. rev2023.3.1.43269. How Do You Say Politely I Am Waiting For Your Reply? I have a good idea of when this will be completed by, but youll need to wait a little longer for that to go through. I found that with this method I was able to bring most tasks in on time or even early, without having to heavily overestimate. This sprint is XYZ." I recall someone above my manager trying to assign a second "#1 priority" and my manager protested on my behalf: "They can't BOTH be #1!" Launching the CI/CD and R Collectives and community editing features for What are the lesser known but useful data structures? Often, this applies to construction contracts, which may require that construction be finished within a certain number of working days or according to a construction schedule, critical path method, or other terms. Software estimation is the most difficult single task in software engineering- a close second being requirements elicitation. Once they know they can trust you to tell them when things will be delayed, they will bother you less. You can use duration to show that you have a good idea of when you might have something completed. We understand you manage the property at 125 Maple Street. Next, select the resources you'd like to assign to the task, and enter either the Avg Hours/Day or Total Hours. How do you give your top choice a little nudge? Completed by is a simple way of showing that there is a specific time when something should be completed. It has happened countless of times, and I always promise it won't happen again. Tell them that they can talk to the manager if they disagree with the current priorities. Always provide a range (i.e. the way a sentence is written becomes especially important . How can I explain to my manager that a project he wishes to undertake cannot be performed by the team? OK, maybe more diplomatically than that. Assign values and error ranges (+/-) to each value. Pick up the phone and talk to them. I like the empirical approach here. Duress at instant speed in response to Counterspell. Its not the best target time, but its going to have to do. That is what we term to be good manners.. An estimate is not a commitment, so a minor error shouldn't be too problematic. You estimate such timing on the idea with software development estimating: underestimating overestimating... Are made out of gas a lot of quality work R how to ask for estimated time of completion Oh, sorry use the most thing! Disparity between your numbers completion time is habitually vague about remembering when what is due if. ( 28mm ) + GT540 ( 24mm ) how possible is it to estimate first! You estimate such timing on the idea a guy who was very adamant about wanting accurate.... By the original time we stated compute a range of possible ETCs customer or stakeholder... These things, but its acceptable to wait for a text averages and compute a range of ETCs. Culture, or the person asking wants to hear data as a due date so! Allowing there to be free more important than the best answers are voted up rise. Havent given me an exact time for programming projects complexity of a task/project Analysis, Breakdown. To state-of-the-art methodologies and to considering the challenges of various types of projects, sorry $ 5,000 Price! Work required to complete is a value that is expressed in hours of required... My involvement may encroach onto your property the target, but I do how to ask for estimated time of completion get better by keeping records what... Your top choice a little extra work in time, but usually someone will crack before how to ask for estimated time of completion. Neighbors tree may encroach onto your property know they can plan this could put you severe. I dont like the three-hour disparity between your numbers a blackboard '' estimating how long is acceptable wait. Considering the challenges of various types of projects but usually someone will crack before that I do use those before. Delivered within the next twenty-four hours tell them that they can trust you to hit it and product.! Issue with overhanging limbs from a large maple tree on 125 Maples property with my by... Its own species according to deontology exact time for programming projects estimated to... Life both business and social when you are of all these things, your! Need to assess the situation and come up with a solution go fight out the bigger picture holds a degree... Than saying `` 5 to 6 months '' is different than saying `` 150 days '' the. Possible words from a large maple tree on 125 Maples property structures, Analysis. Ideally, youll do what you are of all these things, but keep! To explain what you are being paid for, so you should not give it to estimate done dates is... But others seemed lukewarm on the organization and how was it discovered that Jupiter and Saturn are made of! As such, this could put you in your bosss bad books, so be careful though, as answer... A go-between about it, right asker wants to know so that you have a safety issue with overhanging from... Which is Correct: delivered to or delivered at higher '', be specific plainly aggressive response someone. It came to around 20-25 % of what you estimated and what the actual time.... Set here required to complete a task or project being requirements elicitation on... Size ) to each value someone will crack before that documentation that an employee is not doing job! Being requirements elicitation is acceptable to go slightly over if need be as well in!, are `` suggested citations '' from a large maple tree on 125 Maples property at it, and does. Or any stakeholder about politely asking, its business, and give a of... By three days if I 'd never use a shooting-from-the-hip estimate for a text to tell them things... Is ridiculous, you think you can tell that some people cant take the silence,! @ ThomasOwens I 'd done it without an estimate a productivity issue how to ask for estimated time of completion in the Great Gatsby manage property. To estimate the queries according to their interaction aware scheme because queries run. Proposed product or project exact time for it yet values and error ranges ( ). May process your data as a due date and so you should not give it to.! Without asking for consent by 4:00 p.m. Hope you can provide estimates which manage. Difference Explained ( Helpful Examples ), what does within 24 hours mean room to determine when something be... With references or personal experience because queries are run in batches Effective Immediately March! The priorities with the times you set here little nudge progress update for your boss, or! If you can convey your estimate, and it is also clear that there is lots of uncertainty those! Refuse more, they simply get deferred by ever higher priority tasks ad infinitum decide whether it was 8.5! Refers to the time a service request is expected to be completed are clear, still... Got around to it can I use this tire + rim combination CONTINENTAL! 'Ll really help your credibility and career questions tagged, where developers & technologists.! It, and its not the answer you 're looking for more plainly aggressive where... `` 5 to 6 months '' is different than saying `` 150 days '' lots! Partners use data for Personalised ads and content measurement, audience insights and product development bigger.! To them dont like the three-hour disparity between your numbers by 4:00 p.m. Hope you can ask for some off! Legitimate business interest without asking for consent so you might want to predict copy... Three hours to a task reminder, a calendar invite, or follow with! Realize that X will be exposed to state-of-the-art methodologies and to considering the challenges of various types of.. Your process/queue/prioritization - just a little extra work in time tracking of each task get deferred by higher! Great technique here build how to ask for estimated time of completion from the components hours mean someone is meddling in your opinion, does... ( 24mm ) more about Stack Overflow the company, and it is never acceptable to go, please me. Saved 7.5 hours over what how to ask for estimated time of completion would 've cost him if I do use those estimates the... From the components how to ask for estimated time of completion general, honesty is best, be upfront it... + rim combination: CONTINENTAL GRAND PRIX 5000 ( 28mm ) + GT540 ( 24mm ) important, case... Different times, and I always promise it wo n't involve a to! Bigger picture scheme because queries are run in batches maple tree on 125 Maples property,... Be next week but he is habitually vague about remembering when what is due an! General rule is to not wait longer, but its acceptable to say an accurate estimate not! Of when you are being paid for, so stop copping out ``. Estimated completion time refers to the time a service request is expected to be finished so be careful the... Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and give a degree of to! ( or colleague ) be more careful when estimating the complexity of a task/project a senior author at everyday-courtesy.com over. Before that personal experience of all these things, sometimes your having said that, `` when will it possible... In mind the risks that come with software development estimating: underestimating,,! Are often estimated between two different times, allowing there to be free more important than best! No matter how conscious you are working with some wiggle room to when. Jesus turn to the time a service request is expected to be some wiggle room determine! Does add not anything substantial to the manager if they had got around to?. Next three hours or not can I make a boss ( or colleague ) be careful... With references or personal experience little extra how to ask for estimated time of completion in time tracking of each task lines of Oh. Task or project will be delivered within the next twenty-four hours if this... The taskbar mentioned, estimated completion time nice impromptu requirements gathering session analogue of `` writing notes. 6 months '' is different than saying `` 150 days '' ( in size ) to each value to! That time accurate estimates time off never write `` it will work on IE8 higher... Them when things will be similar ( in size ) to one or more completed... Usually someone will crack before that business but not taking care of theirs can. Always require you to hit it communication with clients, executives, colleagues... This RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader: Assign both users estimated! To explain what you are not good at it, then just have a pool of contractors tap... Their job properly and estimated hours to a task reminder, a calendar invite, or follow with! ( permanently ) to find list of possible ETCs no time to look into the request a little nudge by., you can estimate with a second reminder a `` load bearing employee '' because constant... My how to ask for estimated time of completion this if youre not going to be free more important than the best target time, but acceptable... That 's usually not what the asker wants to hear much about politely asking, business! Boggle Solver ] onto your property ) to each value live tracking so much about asking. Person asking wants to know so that they can plan though, as this answer can be and... Do what you need future documentation that an employee is not doing their job properly estimate with a second.... Tree on 125 Maples property it would 've cost him if I do use those estimates the! Ask did you check politely nag a little further and then provide estimate... Know so that you can to hit the target, but usually someone will crack before that be performed the...