10 Considerations When Estimating Software Projects
November 16, 2007 @ Raven's Brain: Project Management from pmtoolbox
mombo has a post with tips for project managers working in technology: 10 things to think about when estimating a software project. You can use it as a checklist of "things to consider" when estimating your next software project:
1. Team skillsA task is obviously a piece of work done by someone. When you guess at how long time an activity takes to complete, you are making assumptions on who is doing it, and what skills and experiences that person has. A task will most likely be completed easier and faster by a very skilled and experienced person, than it would by a person with straight from school. You should make clear assumptions about who is going to do it, be it by reference to an actual person you have in your mind, or by a description of the skills and experiences you are requiering. It'll help everyone to understand that there is a connection between the project team members and the project estimate. If the team changes, the time spend on the tasks will most likely change as well - to the better or to the worse.2. Team development3. Overhead4. Travelling expenses and meetings5. Testing6. Management overhead7. Training8. Uncertainties in the estimate9. What does the estimate tell?10. Who owns the estimate?
Be sure to check out the complete post for details on all the items listed: http://mombo.motime.com/post/688572. It is a good list of things to consider when estimating and you can enhance it with your own items as you find your own tips and tricks for improving estimates in the software development world.
posted by Raven Young at Raven's Brain under Project Management

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