Software release estimate timeline
A software release estimate timeline uses three-point estimates to show uncertainty in each major task. Instead of one duration, each activity has an optimistic, likely and pessimistic value. After the build, security review and testing can proceed in parallel, while deployment waits until findings are resolved. This gives a planning conversation more realism than a single date. Update the estimates as evidence improves and use the dependency view to identify the work that controls release timing.
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Scenario
A delivery team estimates a release with uncertain work durations.
Key decisions
- Estimate uncertainty: Use optimistic, likely and pessimistic values.
- Run reviews in parallel: Security review and testing both follow the build.
- Join findings: Deployment waits for review and test issues to be addressed.
When to reuse this
Use when a release estimate needs to show uncertainty and dependency rather than a single fixed duration.
Frequently asked questions
What is a three-point estimate?
Why run testing and security review in parallel?
What should deployment depend on?
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