DrupalCon Los Angeles 2015: Estimation - A science not an art
Everyone has been given a 2 paragraph document listing the "scope of services" for a potential project. The client would like an estimate in 48 hours and there are no more details to help you deliver that required fixed bid contract. At the same time, many teams have also been given (or created) a detailed PRD or backlog document and still had a project budget balloon out of control.
In this session I would like to discuss the not only the problems associated with estimation and how to avoid them, but more importantly how we can plan for them, turning our estimation process into not only an art, but a science. Well cover how to sell your estimate internally, and arm you with the methodologies to support your numbers.
The problem with software estimation
The morale
The metrics
The reality - an estimation metaphor
Avoiding Risk
Project entry point of sale
At what point of the project lifecycle is your first sale?
Risk association with point of sale
Products in the front, estimations in the back
The Elusive Discovery phase
How to estimate a discovery
How to sell a discovery
How to include discovery in a full fixed bid RFP
Planning for Risk
Estimation types
Gut - An art form
Comparables - An art/science
Factors/formula - A science
Contingency
Rating systems
Formulas
Granularity
In this session I would like to discuss the not only the problems associated with estimation and how to avoid them, but more importantly how we can plan for them, turning our estimation process into not only an art, but a science. Well cover how to sell your estimate internally, and arm you with the methodologies to support your numbers.
The problem with software estimation
The morale
The metrics
The reality - an estimation metaphor
Avoiding Risk
Project entry point of sale
At what point of the project lifecycle is your first sale?
Risk association with point of sale
Products in the front, estimations in the back
The Elusive Discovery phase
How to estimate a discovery
How to sell a discovery
How to include discovery in a full fixed bid RFP
Planning for Risk
Estimation types
Gut - An art form
Comparables - An art/science
Factors/formula - A science
Contingency
Rating systems
Formulas
Granularity