Software Project Estimation : Intelligent Forecasting, Project Control, and Client Relationship Management

In Software Project Estimation , author Dimitre Dimitrov extrapolates upon the most crucial steps in accurately and meaningfully forecasting the timeline and specs of promised deliverables to clients. A client's positive experience with project delivery and implementation is a software organization's calling card in the industry. The lifespan of a software project—from ideation to final installation—introduces dozens of potential pitfalls for a company's track record, earnings, and overall team morale. However, these "pitfalls" are also opportunities to showcase strengths and to improve an organization's product quality, and it all starts with project estimation. Reliable forecasting continues to present a challenge to even the most veteran teams and software development organizations. Dimitrov sets out to ease these common difficulties with invaluable methodology improvements and helpful visuals from his years of industry experience. Project managers—through harnessing the power of hard data and statistics—have a new world of impactful forecasting at their fingertips. This approach brings security, predictability, and motivation within the team, while simultaneously greatly benefiting client trust and relationships. Software Project Estimation clarifies the common misunderstandings that materialize between making a promise, making a plan, and building a forecast backed by data. Learn how to create an intelligent software project forecast and use it to make timely decisions, apply measured project control, and confidently steer your ship toward your goals with Software Project Estimation . What You Will Learn Concepts related to software estimation, forecasting, and project control Ways in which you can positively affect the relationships among team members working on a software delivery project How to apply this forecasting model, within both agile and waterfall teams who have adopted sound engineering practices Who This Book is For This book is directly relevant to the roles of scrum masters and project managers, and provides practical tools for intelligent project control. The book is also valuable for business people who want insight into the type of problems that delivery teams face, and for programmers and other delivery team members who want to gain an understanding of the project manager's day-to-day challenges. Contents 5 About the Author 6 Acknowledgments 7 Introduction 8 Chapter 0: Assertions 14 Chapter 1: The People in a Software Project 16 The People 16 The Problems 18 The Desires 19 Summary 24 Chapter 2: The Role of Simplification 25 What’s Wrong with (Overly) Simple Answers? 26 What’s Wrong with Complicated Answers? 27 Simple Constructs That Capture Complex Reality 27 Summary 32 Chapter 3: Statistics and Probabilities 33 Probability 33 Getting Accurate Information Based on Imprecise Inputs 36 Control, Lack of Control, and Precision 39 Summary 41 Chapter 4: Forecasting Mechanics 43 Determining the Chart Area 45 Sizing the Project 48 Plotting a Dot 59 The Other Two Pillars 61 Forecasting 66 Summary 68 Chapter 5: Adjustments 70 Available Thrust 70 Take-off and Level-off 77 Health Factors 79 Scope 81 Driving the Projections 84 Summary 86 Chapter 6: Financial Performance and Managing Risks 88 Performance Index 88 Borrowing Index 92 Working Smart 93 Navigating Issues 97 Navigating Issues with the Team 104 Summary 105 Appendix A: Tidbits 106 Software Development Laws 106 Brooks’ Law 106 Gall’s Law 107 Parkinson’s Law and Hofstadter’s Law 108 Conway’s Law 108 Manifesto for Agile Software Development 109 Common Gaps, Environment Needs, and Tiny Details 111 SCARF 113 Variations of the Intelligent Forecasting Method 115 Invert, Always Invert 115 Appendix B: Sample Spreadsheets and Charts 117 Forecasting Project Chart 117 T-shirt Reference Tables for Different Types of Estimates 120 Before Communicating Outside of the Team 120 Dev Sprint Burndown with Available Thrust and Technical Debt 121 Bibliography 123 Index 125 In "Software project estimation", author Dimitre Dimitrov extrapolates upon the most crucial steps in accurately and meaningfully forecasting the timeline and specs of promised deliverables to clients. A client's positive experience with project delivery and implementation is a software organization's calling card in the industry. The lifespan of a software project, from ideation to final installation, introduces dozens of potential pitfalls for a company's track record, earnings, and overall team morale. However, these "pitfalls" are also opportunities to showcase strengths and to improve an organization's product quality, and it all starts with project estimation. Reliable forecasting continues to present a challenge to even the most veteran teams and software development organizations. Dimitrov sets out to ease these common difficulties, with invaluable methodology improvements and helpful visuals from his years of industry experience. Project managers, through harnessing the power of hard data and statistics, have a new world of impactful forecasting at their fingertips. This approach brings security, predictability, and motivation within the team, while simultaneously greatly benefiting client trust and relationships. "Software project estimation" clarifies the common misunderstandings that materialize between making a promise, making a plan, and building a forecast backed by data. Learn how to create an intelligent software project forecast and use it to make timely decisions, apply measured project control, and confidently steer your ship toward your goals with "Software project estimation." Front Matter ....Pages i-xvi Assertions (Dimitre Dimitrov)....Pages 1-2 The People in a Software Project (Dimitre Dimitrov)....Pages 3-11 The Role of Simplification (Dimitre Dimitrov)....Pages 13-20 Statistics and Probabilities (Dimitre Dimitrov)....Pages 21-30 Forecasting Mechanics (Dimitre Dimitrov)....Pages 31-57 Adjustments (Dimitre Dimitrov)....Pages 59-76 Financial Performance and Managing Risks (Dimitre Dimitrov)....Pages 77-94 Back Matter ....Pages 95-118