Estimation (project management)

For estimation in general, see Estimation.

In project management (i.e., for engineering), accurate estimates are the basis of sound project planning. Many processes have been developed to aid engineers in making accurate estimates, such as

• Analogy based estimation
• Compartmentalization (i.e., breakdown of tasks)
• Delphi method
• Documenting estimation results
• Educated assumptions
• Estimating each task
• Examining historical data
• Identifying dependencies
• Parametric estimating
• Risk assessment
• Structured planning

Popular estimation processes for software projects include:

• Cocomo
• Cosysmo
• Event chain methodology
• Function points
• Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
• Proxy Based Estimation (PROBE) (from the Personal Software Process)
• The Planning Game (from Extreme Programming)
• Weighted Micro Function Points (WMFP)
• Wideband Delphi

See also

• Estimation in software engineering
• Software development effort estimation
• Comparison of development estimation software
• Cognitive bias
• Decision making
• Decision making software
• Work Breakdown Structure
• Project management
• List of project management software
• Software metric
• Wideband Delphi
• Guesstimate
• Ballpark estimate
• Construction Estimating Software

External links

• Estimation chapter from "Applied Software Project Management" (PDF)
• The Dynamics of Software Projects Estimation
• Estimations in project management