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Estimate Value Used by EBS


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Overview


When a new project is started, many tasks can be created by the project manager and then assigned to the appropriate developer. When the developer gets the case, the first thing they do is revise the estimate to reflect what their real expectation is. Often, the initial tasks reflect the approximate schedule and not the estimated effort.

This article describes which estimate is being used by the Evidence-Based Scheduling (EBS). 

 

Information


FogBugz will use the Original Estimate value for EBS, and it may be different from the first estimate entered. Please review an example below for better understanding:

  1. A Project Manager (PM) enters an estimate of 2 hours (no work has been done on the case yet).
  2. PM assigns the case to the developer (no work has been done on the case yet).
  3. Developer changes estimate to 5 hours (no work has been done on the case yet).
  4. The developer enters the estimated time into the Elapsed Time field or via Working On function. As soon as they start working on the case, 5 hours becomes the Original Estimate, and the developer will have this case reflected in their estimation history.
  5. Developer realizes after a certain time that this case is going to take more time, and increases the estimate to 7 hours. 5 hours still remains the Original Estimate.

 

The main features of the estimates for EBS are explained below:

  • FogBugz does not count entered time as the Original Estimate until some amount of time is logged for the case. Once any time is logged against the case, the existing estimate becomes the Original Estimate (even if it is not the first estimate).
  • Whoever entered the estimate that existed at the time work started, will have the case reflected on their EBS and history.
    • This means that if the developer had not changed the estimate from 2 hours, EBS would be based on the time defined by the PM. Also, the developer’s delivery of the case (estimate vs. elapsed) would go into the PM’s history, not the developer’s. This is an important distinction if you want to use EBS.
    • Only one person can get estimation history data from a single case.
  • Once set, the Original Estimate cannot be changed.
  • If you have a true outlier estimate which was way off due to a typo, you can remove the data point from your history.
To be safe, we generally recommend not to put in estimates before giving the case to another person. If you have to, then we recommend having them modify the estimate before they start working so that their estimation history would be updated.

 

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