Question every Developer hates
Why "How long will it take?" isn’t as simple as it sounds.
A manager or client walks over to a developer’s desk, coffee in hand, and asks casually:
“How long do you think it’ll take?”
Seems harmless, right??
But in the developer’s mind it’s like someone just pulled the pin on a grenade.
What the Manager thinks they’re Asking
The manager just wants to plan.
To know when it’ll be ready.
To update the client, adjust the schedule, and move things forward.
From their perspective, it’s a simple question about time and organization.
Nothing more.
What the Developer hears
The developer freezes.
Not because they don’t want to answer but because they don’t yet know what they don’t know.
Before giving a timeline, they need to:
Understand the full context.
Check the existing code.
Spot any potential risks.
Think through possible solutions.
Consider side effects and dependencies.
Basically, to give a good answer, they need to do 80% of the thinking work first.
It’s like asking an architect:
“So, how long to build the house?”
before they’ve even seen the land.
The misunderstanding
The manager hears a promise.
The developer gives an estimate.
But when the dev says,
“It should take about two days,”
the manager hears,
“It’ll be done by Thursday.”
And when Thursday comes and it’s not done,
the manager feels let down while the dev feels misunderstood.
They weren’t lying.
They were just speaking two different professional languages.
Two ways of seeing the World
Managers live in a world of plans, goals, and deadlines.
Developers live in a world of logic, uncertainty, and problem-solving.
One side wants to predict.
The other side needs to explore.
Neither is wrong they’re just wired differently.
How to Build a Bridge Between the Two
Great managers don’t just ask “How long will it take?”
They ask:
“What do you need to give me a realistic estimate?”
That small shift changes everything.
It shows trust, curiosity, and respect for the complexity of the work.
A few more tips that help:
Give developers time to explore before estimating.
Separate estimation (a guess) from commitment (a promise).
Always include a margin for the unexpected.
Encourage open and honest communication even when things aren’t clear yet.
Developers have a role too
Developers can also make these conversations smoother.
Instead of fearing the question, they can explain their process and make it collaborative.
Here’s how:
Share what you know and what you don’t yet know.
Give ranges (“between 3 and 5 days”) instead of fixed numbers.
Point out risks and dependencies early.
Be transparent about what could affect the timeline.
It’s not about being defensive it’s about being clear.
The deeper truth
Software development isn’t a straight line.
It’s not about doing repetitive tasks it’s about problem-solving and discovery.
Every line of code can reveal something new.
Every fix can open another door.
That’s what makes this job exciting and unpredictable.
Coding is exploration, not assembly-line work.
When Both Worlds Connect
When managers understand how technical work really happens,
and developers learn to communicate more clearly,
projects move faster and people trust each other more.
Less stress.
Fewer misunderstandings.
More progress.
Because in the end, it’s not about “how long it takes” it’s about “how we build something solid together.”
Next time you want to ask:
“How long do you think it’ll take?”
Try saying instead:
“What do you need to figure out how long it might take?”
You’ll see the conversation will be calmer, clearer, and a lot more human.
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