At work, I have become the lead developer on bigger and more important projects.
I began designing the goals of projects, rejecting and championing ideas, and building and supporting much larger code bases. I've enjoyed all of it, except for having to estimate how long it will take to build something. I think the worst part occurs when you make an honest estimate before the project starts, and then you find that you are running out of time near the due date. If at all possible, I try to make up the time after work or on weekends. If it looks like I still can't make the deadline, I report it back to my manager, where it feels like I have to admit one of two things:
1. I am a poor, unskilled, lazy developer who does not fulfill promises.
2. My past self was an ambitious, cocky, know-it-all who made outlandish over promises.
As one of these projects come to a close (miraculously near the proposed deadline), I worry again about the next project. Should I just game the estimate with tons of buffer time? That doesn't seem honest.
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