Estimate task duration for better planning.
Estimation Categories
| Category | Duration | Symbol | Use For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick | < 15 min | ~15m |
Simple replies, quick fixes, small updates |
| Short | 15-30 min | ~30m |
Code reviews, short meetings, simple features |
| Medium | 30-60 min | ~1h |
Regular features, documentation, debugging |
| Long | 1-2 hours | ~2h |
Complex features, research, planning |
| Deep Work | 2-4 hours | ~4h |
Architecture, major features, learning |
Estimation by Task Type
Code Tasks
| Type | Typical Estimate |
|---|---|
| Typo/small fix | ~15m |
| Bug fix (known cause) | ~30m |
| Bug fix (unknown cause) | ~1h to ~2h |
| Small feature | ~1h |
| Medium feature | ~2h |
| Large feature | ~4h or break down |
| Refactoring | ~2h to ~4h |
Review Tasks
| Type | Typical Estimate |
|---|---|
| Small PR (< 100 lines) | ~15m |
| Medium PR (100-500 lines) | ~30m |
| Large PR (500+ lines) | ~1h |
| Document review | ~30m |
| Architecture review | ~1h |
Communication Tasks
| Type | Typical Estimate |
|---|---|
| Quick message | ~15m |
| Email response | ~15m |
| Meeting prep | ~30m |
| Meeting (scheduled) | actual duration |
| Presentation prep | ~2h |
Research Tasks
| Type | Typical Estimate |
|---|---|
| Quick lookup | ~15m |
| Tool evaluation | ~1h |
| Technology research | ~2h |
| Deep learning session | ~4h |
Estimation Rules
The 2x Rule
If uncertain, estimate 2x your initial guess:
- "This seems like 30 min" → Estimate
~1h - "Maybe an hour" → Estimate
~2h
Break Down Large Tasks
If estimate > 4 hours:
- Break into subtasks
- Estimate each subtask
- Add 20% buffer for coordination
Context Switching Tax
Add time for:
- Unfamiliar codebase: +50%
- Interruption-heavy environment: +30%
- Learning new tool: +100%
Daily Capacity
Realistic productive hours: 4-6 hours/day
| Day Type | Available |
|---|---|
| Meeting-heavy day | 2-3 hours |
| Normal day | 4-5 hours |
| Focus day | 6-7 hours |
Planning Rule
- Morning focus: Schedule
~2hdeep work - Afternoon: Schedule
~1htasks - Buffer: Keep 1 hour unscheduled
Estimation Confidence
When presenting estimates:
- High confidence: "~1h" (done similar tasks)
- Medium confidence: "~1h-2h" (some unknowns)
- Low confidence: "needs spike" (too many unknowns)
For low confidence, create a timeboxed research task first:
- [ ] Spike: Investigate X ~1h → Then estimate the real task