Stop estimating in hours. Start estimating in complexity.

📰 Dev.to · Matías Denda

Learn to estimate tasks in complexity instead of hours for more accurate team discussions and planning

intermediate Published 7 May 2026
Action Steps
  1. Stop estimating tasks in hours
  2. Introduce complexity-based estimation to your team
  3. Discuss and agree on a complexity scale
  4. Apply complexity estimation to upcoming tasks
  5. Compare outcomes and adjust the estimation process as needed
Who Needs to Know This

Software engineers, project managers, and team leaders can benefit from this approach to improve estimation accuracy and team communication

Key Insight

💡 Estimating in complexity changes the conversation and adds value to team planning

Share This
💡 Estimate tasks in complexity, not hours! Improve team discussions and planning with this simple yet effective approach

Key Takeaways

Learn to estimate tasks in complexity instead of hours for more accurate team discussions and planning

Full Article

Hours always get estimated low. Complexity changes the conversation your team has — and that's where the real value is.
Read full article → ← Back to Reads