Software Estimating

Audience

Project Managers, Team Leaders, Developers and anyone who wishes to enhance their knowledge of estimating, including industry-standard techniques.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Duration

2 days.

Course Objectives

When was the last time you were part of a software development project that completed on time, on budget, on quality and met the relevant requirements? If you can’t remember, or if it’s never happened, perhaps this course can help. One of the biggest challenges in project work is estimating – especially to the exacting expectations of managers and other stakeholders. This course outlines the problems associated with estimating software development projects – including the degree of uncertainty associated with estimates. The course attempts to provide solutions in a number of ways, particularly the use of appropriate industry-standard techniques. Finally, the course covers communication of estimates to stakeholders including the use of simplified statistical analysis to optimise subsequent decision-making.

The objectives of this course are to enable particpants to:

• Understand the challenges associated with estimating so that good decisions may be made about what, when and how to estimate.
• Be aware of the different sources and scale of errors associated with different types of estimates.
• Apply appropriate estimating techniques and approaches within projects of different sizes and complexity.
• Be able to communicate estimates to stakeholders in a manner which everyone understands and accepts as an optimum approach.

Course Content

Project Concepts
What is a Project?
What is a Successful Project?
Project Variables
Project Management Process
Software Development Methods
Agile Development

Estimating Concepts
What is an Estimate?
Estimates and Targets
Estimates and Plans
Single Point Estimates
Normal Distribution, Skewed Distribution
Estimates and Project Control
What is a Good Estimate?
Inaccuracy of Software Project Estimates
Overestimating and Underestimating
Benefits of Accurate Estimates

Estimation and Error
What are We Estimating?
Sources of Estimation Uncertainty
Cone of Uncertainty
Estimation Error by Development Activity
Chaotic Development Processes
Unstable Requirements
Omitted Activities
Unfounded Optimism
Subjectivity and Bias Off-the-Cuff Estimates
Unwarranted Precision
Other Sources of Error

General Estimating Techniques
Sliding Planning Window
Top Down Estimating - Apportionment
Work Breakdown Structures
Product Breakdown Structures
Bottom Up Estimating
Estimating with Ranges
Probability in Estimating
Probability and 3 Point Estimates
Expert Judgement
Group Reviews
Modified Delphi
Wideband Delphi
Estimation by Analogy
Fuzzy Logic
T-Shirt Sizing

Function Point Estimating
Benefits and Uses
Types of Function Point Counts
When Not to Use Function Points
Lines of Code
Function Point Sources
Calculating Unadjusted Function Points
Calculating Adjusted Function Points
Converting Function Points to Effort
Converting Function Points to Lines of Code
The Dutch Method
GUI Elements

Estimating with Use Cases
Use Case Diagram Notation and Documentation
Use Case Points
The UCP Process
Technical Complexity Factors
Environmental Complexity Factors
UUCP - Use Case Type
UUCP - ActorType
Productivity Factor

Estimating with User Stories
Introduction to Scrum
Product Backlog
Sprint Planning
Sprint Backlog
What Are User Stories?
Agile Estimating
Process of Estimating Duration
Estimating Size with Story Points
Estimating Velocity
Ideal Time and Elapsed Time
Estimating in Ideal Days
Estimation Scales
Splitting User Stories
Planning Poker
Re-estimating

Estimating Challenges
Calibrating Estimates
Organisational Influences
Subjectivity and Optimism
Estimation Politics
Presenting Estimates
Collecting Data