Focus on Outcomes, Not Outputs

Let’s be honest…



How often have you sat in a planning meeting, tossing around numbers, trying to guess how long something might take… all while secretly knowing reality will probably say otherwise? If you’re a Scrum Master, Product Owner, or manager, chances are this is your weekly routine.



In this episode, we’re peeling back the layers on why organizations cling so tightly to estimates. Are they actually helping us deliver better products — or are they just giving leaders a false sense of control and security?



We’ll unpack the hidden reasons why teams over-rely on estimation, how this habit can distort priorities, and what we might lose when we treat estimates like promises instead of just data points. But more importantly, we’ll explore smarter alternatives: ways to build trust, improve forecasting, and make real progress—without obsessing over point precision.



By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with a fresh perspective on estimation. You'll learn how to spot when estimates become more about comfort than clarity—and how to guide your team and stakeholders toward more meaningful conversations about delivery, flow, and outcomes.



Timeline

01:44 Estimates as a Comfort Blanket

02:19 Why Plans Fall Apart

03:08 Cause and Effect Doesn’t Work That Way

03:55 Wishful Thinking and Real-World Chaos

04:20 Why Teams Still Love Estimates

04:57 The Data Doesn’t Lie

06:00 The Cost of Waiting

06:23 Project Management Is Broken

06:52 Enter NoEstimates

07:23 Focus on Outcomes, Not Outputs

07:50 Think Like an Investor

08:10 Fund Teams, Not Work Items

08:37 Forecast with Flow, Not Fantasy

09:24 Try This With Your Own Data

10:05 The NoEstimates Mindset



Invitation | Consultancy



Now I provide free, 1-1 online consulting service. If you have any agile related problems or project management issues, please reserve a web call with me. I would answer your questions as possible as I could.

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