Steve Jones - SSC Editor (9/1/2015)
xsevensinzx (9/1/2015)
I'm not really seeing the connection between the first linked stories in the first paragraph.A solution--which is what the doctor is aiming to apply--is totally different than the benefit from the solution, which is the process of feeling better.
Maybe, but there are lots of medical issues where the doctors don't know. They try one thing and then another. Especially when you have joint issues, skin fungi, and plenty of other issues.
Don't compare a shot to building software. A shot is like setting up SQL Server or IIS. I can tell you how long that will take. The process of diagnosis and therapy often is open ended, with doctors being unsure of outcomes.
I just went through something like this with a friend. A broken bone in a finger, and the estimates by the doctor of healing time and treatment were off by over a factor of 100%.
I hear what you're saying and I am nitpicking here for good reason I hope. I still look at these as apples and oranges because depending on the product, service or simply a solution must satisfy a need.
If those needs are identified ahead of time, then they can help you estimate what you need to do in order to satisfy those needs. If those needs are unknown and could change down the road, then iterative processes like being able to deploy major versions, updates and hotfixes (v0.0.0) can be factored in the original solution way before the product, service or solution goes to market.
Thus, the product, service or solution is always pretty straight forward. Managing the long-term, changing and unknown benefits of what you created (i.e.: the open ended) happens way after the original estimates have happened.