Estimate Before, During, After

Lawrence is Co-CEO, Quantitative Software Management, Inc. in McLean, Virginia.

  Estimating   Knowledge Management   Lessons Learned   Stakeholder Management   Strategy   ProjectsAtWork  

A common misperception is that an estimator’s job is done after a project’s parameters are set. On the contrary, estimation should be conducted throughout the project lifecycle to reflect inevitable changes and to improve estimates on other projects. Here are three ways to maximize estimating efforts — before, during and after your project is complete.

A common misperception about software development is that the estimator’s job is complete after a project’s parameters are set. On the contrary, proper estimation should continue throughout the entire project lifecycle, as it is essential for PMOs to accurately estimate data to increase the value of their PPM tools.  

Here are the two key reasons continuous estimation is so important:

First, one must account for the inevitable changes to “conditions on the ground.” As a software project moves forward, more information is gathered (i.e., requirement changes, unexpected obstacles). By re-evaluating the data at every stage, we can make better, more accurate forecasts. 

Second, the data collected on one project can help to validate or discredit estimates on another — perhaps in real-time. The more accurate the data collected from your estimation, the better data you’ll have for your project management tools to answer questions such as, “Should we give ourselves 6…

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