Originally posted by Bisqwit
It is all too bad that you work in a stupidly managed company.
It is common knowledge in this profession that programmers are overly optimistic in their time estimates. Any manager worth their salt knows that unless they add some buffer to it, sooner or later they will end up with projects that exceed their budgets in both time and cost.
Programmers generally aren't in the habit of doing like Scotty, i.e. holding something back so they can satisfy inevitable and yet unreasonable "I need more" requests. Unless they're desperately in the need of vacation.
A bit late of a reply, but the best experience I have is from my current job.
Given the task of a total rewrite of the system -- throwing it all out and beginning fresh with the most recent requirements in place
1, I was asked to give an estimate.
I said "5 to 6 months, at best." For one person (with a lot of other odd jobs), it was probably too optimistic even then.
Management wanted nothing of that and demanded I make a shorter estimate, so I was more or less twisted into saying "Well, I guess 2-3 months if the planets aligned and I was turned into a hyper-productive robot."
The new baseline for all the work became two months.
Unfortunately, we have a new "IT Director" that was hired. I don't think he understands it either, and as far as I can tell has been making promises that can't be kept. I really, really need to look for a new job sooner than later.
I have heard a bit of how it is in Finland, but in US there is no job security. Tomorrow I could walk in and have no job, just like that, with no hope of getting unemployment or any other benefit. This fear for work has been what's been keeping my protests relatively quiet, because the owners aren't exactly mild-mannered if they aren't happy.
1 The requirements have changed many times since then, too.
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