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Software Estimation: Demystifying the Black Art (Best Practices (Microsoft))

ISBN: 0735605351
EAN: 2147483647

Year: 2004
Pages: 212

Authors: Steve McConnell

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• Table of Contents
• Back Cover
• Software EstimationDemystifying the Black Art
• Welcome
• Why This Book Was Written and Who It Is For
• Key Benefits Of This Book
• What This Book Is Not About
• Where to Start
• Part I: Critical Estimation Concepts
• Chapter 1: What Is an
• 1.1 Estimates, Targets, and Commitments
• 1.2 Relationship Between Estimates and Plans
• 1.3 Communicating about Estimates, Targets, and Commitments
• 1.4 Estimates as Probability Statements
• 1.5 Common Definitions of a
• 1.6 Estimates and Project Control
• 1.7 Estimation s Real Purpose
• 1.8 A Working Definition of a
• Additional Resources
• Chapter 2: How Good an Estimator Are You?
• 2.1 A Simple Estimation Quiz
• 2.2 Discussion of Quiz Results
• Chapter 3: Value of Accurate Estimates
• 3.1 Is It Better to Overestimate or Underestimate?
• 3.2 Details on the Software Industry s Estimation Track Record
• 3.3 Benefits of Accurate Estimates
• 3.4 Value of Predictability Compared with Other Desirable Project Attributes
• 3.5 Problems with Common Estimation Techniques
• Chapter 4: Where Does Estimation Error Come From?
• 4.1 Sources of Estimation Uncertainty
• 4.2 The Cone of Uncertainty
• The Cone Doesn t Narrow Itself
• 4.3 Chaotic Development Processes
• 4.4 Unstable Requirements
• 4.5 Omitted Activities
• 4.6 Unfounded Optimism
• 4.7 Subjectivity and Bias
• 4.8 Off-The-Cuff Estimates
• 4.9 Unwarranted Precision
• 4.10 Other Sources of Error
• Additional Resources
• Chapter 5: Estimate Influences
• 5.1 Project Size
• 5.2 Kind of Software Being Developed
• 5.3 Personnel Factors
• 5.4 Programming Language
• 5.5 Other Project Influences
• 5.6 Diseconomies of Scale Revisited
• Additional Resources
• Part II: Fundamental Estimation Techniques
• Chapter 6: Introduction to Estimation Techniques
• 6.1 Considerations in Choosing Estimation Techniques
• 6.2 Technique Applicability Tables
• Chapter 7: Count, Compute, Judge
• 7.1 Count First
• 7.2 What to Count
• 7.3 Use Computation to Convert Counts to Estimates
• 7.4 Use Judgment Only as a Last Resort
• Additional Resources
• Chapter 8: Calibration and Historical Data
• 8.1 Improved Accuracy and Other Benefits of Historical Data
• 8.2 Data to Collect
• 8.3 How to Calibrate
• 8.4 Using Project Data to Refine Your Estimates
• 8.5 Calibration with Industry Average Data
• 8.6 Summary
• Additional Resources
• Chapter 9: Individual Expert Judgment
• 9.1 Structured Expert Judgment
• 9.2 Compare Estimates to Actuals
• Additional Resources
• Chapter 10: Decomposition and Recomposition
• 10.1 Calculating an Accurate Overall Expected Case
• 10.2 Decomposition via an Activity-Based Work Breakdown Structure
• 10.3 Hazards of Adding Up Best Case and Worst Case Estimates
• 10.4 Creating Meaningful Overall Best Case and Worst Case Estimates
• Additional Resources
• Chapter 11: Estimation by Analogy
• 11.1 Basic Approach to Estimating by Analogy
• 11.2 Comments on Uncertainty in the Triad Estimate
• Chapter 12: Proxy-Based Estimates
• 12.1 Fuzzy Logic
• 12.2 Standard Components
• 12.3 Story Points
• 12.4 T-Shirt Sizing
• 12.5 Other Uses of Proxy-Based Techniques
• 12.6 Additional Resources
• Chapter 13: Expert Judgment in Groups
• 13.1 Group Reviews
• 13.2 Wideband Delphi
• Additional Resources
• Chapter 14: Software Estimation Tools
• 14.1 Things You Can Do with Tools That You Can t Do Manually
• 14.2 Data You ll Need to Calibrate the Tools
• 14.3 One Thing You Shouldn t Do with a Tool Any More than You Should Do Otherwise
• 14.4 Summary of Available Tools
• Additional Resources
• Chapter 15: Use of Multiple Approaches
• Additional Resources
• Chapter 16: Flow of Software Estimates on a Well-Estimated Project
• 16.1 Flow of an Individual Estimate on a Poorly Estimated Project
• 16.2 Flow of an Individual Estimate on a Well-Estimated Project
• 16.3 Chronological Estimation Flow for an Entire Project
• 16.4 Estimate Refinement
• 16.5 How to Present Reestimation to Other Project Stakeholders
• 16.6 A View of a Well-Estimated Project
• Chapter 17: Standardized Estimation Procedures
• 17.1 Usual Elements of a Standardized Procedure
• 17.2 Fitting Estimation into a Stage-Gate Process
• 17.3 An Example of a Standardized Estimation Procedure for Sequential Projects
• 17.4 An Example of a Standardized Estimation Procedure for Iterative Projects
• 17.5 An Example of a Standardized Estimation Procedure from an Advanced Organization
• 17.6 Improving Your Standardized Procedure
• Additional Resources
• Part III: Specific Estimation Challenges
• Chapter 18: Special Issues in Estimating Size
• 18.1 Challenges with Estimating Size
• 18.2 Function-Point Estimation
• 18.3 Simplified Function-Point Techniques
• 18.4 Summary of Techniques for Estimating Size
• Additional Resources
• Chapter 19: Special Issues in Estimating Effort
• 19.1 Influences on Effort
• 19.2 Computing Effort from Size
• 19.3 Computing Effort Estimates by Using the Science of Estimation
• 19.4 Industry-Average Effort Graphs
• 19.5 ISBSG Method
• 19.6 Comparing Effort Estimates
• Additional Resources
• Chapter 20: Special Issues in Estimating Schedule
• 20.1 The Basic Schedule Equation
• 20.2 Computing Schedule by Using Informal Comparisons to Past Projects
• 20.3 Jones s First-Order Estimation Practice
• 20.4 Computing a Schedule Estimate by Using the Science of Estimation
• 20.5 Schedule Compression and the Shortest Possible Schedule
• 20.6 Tradeoffs Between Schedule and Effort
• 20.7 Schedule Estimation and Staffing Constraints
• 20.8 Comparison of Results from Different Methods
• Additional Resources
• Chapter 21: Estimating Planning Parameters
• 21.1 Estimating Activity Breakdown on a Project
• 21.2 Estimating Schedule for Different Activities
• 21.3 Converting Estimated Effort (Ideal Effort) to Planned Effort
• 21.4 Cost Estimates
• 21.5 Estimating Defect Production and Removal
• 21.6 Estimating Risk and Contingency Buffers
• 21.7 Other Rules of Thumb
• 21.8 Additional Resources
• Chapter 22: Estimate Presentation Styles
• 22.1 Communicating Estimate Assumptions
• 22.2 Expressing Uncertainty
• 22.3 Using Ranges (of Any Kind)
• Additional Resources
• Chapter 23: Politics, Negotiation, and Problem Solving
• 23.1 Attributes of Executives
• 23.2 Political Influences on Estimates
• 23.3 Problem Solving and Principled Negotiation
• Additional Resources
• Appendix A: Estimate Sanity Check
• Appendix B: Answers to Chapter 2 Quiz,
• Appendix C: Software Estimation Tips
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 12
• Chapter 13
• Chapter 14
• Chapter 15
• Chapter 16
• Chapter 17
• Chapter 18
• Chapter 19
• Chapter 20
• Chapter 21
• Chapter 22
• Chapter 23
• Bibliography
• Index
• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• List of Sidebars