Agile & Delivery playbook/Module 5 · Estimation & forecasting
Day 50 / 100 · Estimation & forecasting · Communicating dates
Bad news early.
How you communicate a date matters as much as how you calculate it. Honest, regular and early builds trust even when the news is bad.
Lead with confidence
The Range
“85% likely by 24 October.”
Not one date with no context.
Say what moves it
The Risks
“Assumes the vendor API is live by the 5th.”
Name the assumptions and risks.
Update it weekly
The Rhythm
“This week's forecast: 85% by 27 October.”
Small updates beat sudden shocks.
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