New Course:
Software Estimation In Depth

What You’ll Learn

• Common Sources of Estimation Error
• Concept: The Cone of Uncertainty
• Good and Bad Estimation Processes
• Estimation Error
• Strengths and Weaknesses of Popular Estimation Methods
• Better Estimation Methods
• The Critical Role of Historical Data
• Using Judgment-Based Estimation Effectively
• Issues in Scope Estimation
• Issues in Effort Estimation
• Issues in Schedule Estimation
• Estimation on Agile Projects
• Estimation in the Larger Organizational Context

Course Overview

This course provides many useful rules of thumb and procedures for creating software estimates (“the art of estimation”) and briefly introduces mathematical approaches to creating software project estimates (“the science of estimation”). This course features extensive lab work to give you hands-on experience creating many different kinds of software estimates–for large, medium, and small projects as well as calibrating estimates to be accurate for your specific development environment. You will learn techniques for making sure estimation is treated as an analytical rather than a political process, and you will explore how to negotiate effectively with other project stakeholders (such as marketing, management and your clients) so that everyone wins. This seminar is based on the best-selling book, Software Estimation: Demystifying the Black Art, by Steve McConnell.