Effort estimation guidelines - Software industry (Project Management)

[meensy]

In which process we should cover effort estimation (project management)?

Is it not mandatory to document this process for ISO 9001:2000? I feel considering the list of six mandatory procedures that it is not mandatory.

Can anyone tell few of the best ways to do effort estimation with / without using tools

Regards,

[Marc]

Any takers on this one?

I guess my question is what do you define as a 'tool'? I have used many things from Microsoft Project to an Excel spreadsheet to plan and to track time and resources for a project. Is this what you are looking for?

[meensy]

Thanks marc,

I think i have not given sufficient information may be but i am not looking at project management tool We are a software company and every time while giving proposal we need to submit the effort in terms of time and resources and the cost of course.

Currently everyone uses the experience to estimate the effort needed. ....ultimately resulting into tight schedule and pressures

That is mostly we do effort estimation on adhoc basis. There are few tools i heard for e.g. function point analysis.

Now if anyone knows any other effort estimation tools can reply. Also i am interested in knowing that has anyone defined the separate process in QMS for effort estimation?

regards,

[Govind]

Meensy,

I understand function point is one of the methods.
Function Point Analysis: Effort Estimation

There is also a BOK and Certification offered in this area:
International Function Point Users Group

Also Software Complexity is also taken into consideration.
Cyclomatic Complexity
The risk is indirectly translated into efforts to fix during coding and maintenance.

Many organizations use manual methods and Excel tools with easy measures like:
Number of Source line codes (KSLOC).

To summarize, here is a procedure from Treasury Board of Canada.
Estimate Software Product Size - Basic Procedure
Check it out.

Happy Holidays,
Govind.

[Bill Pflanz]

Originally Posted by meensy

That is mostly we do effort estimation on adhoc basis. There are few tools i heard for e.g. function point analysis.

I understand that Carnegie Mellon is a leader in function point analysis. Try their web site and they have some description of it and other tools. I have read articles on its use but I have not seen it done in practice.

Function Point Analysis

To be successful in improving project estimation, you will need to develop discipline around getting everyone to record how long it takes to do each phase of the project. That may be a bigger hurdle than finding a way to collect the data and analyze it.

Bill Pflanz

[meensy]

You are right...

Our company is 10 year old have done good amount of product and projects development...

But unfortunately we do not have good methods in place which will give us data to define our own effort estimation guidelines..

Collecting an actual data also has become big pain due to non availability of right / user friendly tool.

So in such case what we may do is based on industry experience built in few readymade effort estimation tools, will try to do our effort estimation.

Will check the details you all have given.

Thanks!

Regds,