Say it like this
Real examples
"As a rule of thumb, if a task is taking longer than expected, I flag it early."
"Rule of thumb: always test locally before pushing to staging."
"A good rule of thumb is to keep PRs under 400 lines for easier review."
"As a rule of thumb, we should allocate 30% of the project timeline for testing and QA."
"Our rule of thumb for story points worked well this sprint."
"As a rule of thumb, we can handle about 40 story points per sprint."
"My rule of thumb is to switch drivers every 15 minutes."
Don't say this
Other forms
rule of thumb
"That's a useful rule of thumb for estimation."
as a rule of thumb
"As a rule of thumb, we add 20% buffer time."
rule-of-thumb
"This is just a rule-of-thumb estimate."
Often used with
Similar words
Opposites
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. How would you share a practical guideline in a meeting?
2. _____ a rule of thumb, we keep functions under 30 lines.
3. Which sentence has a mistake?
4. We always must estimate two hours for code review. (Make it sound like a flexible guideline, not a strict rule)
Questions
Quick poll
Have you said "rule of thumb" in a standup this week?
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