Chapter 8

Tip #35 

Use historical data as the basis for your productivity assumptions. Unlike mutual fund disclosures, your organization's past performance really is your best indicator of future performance.

Tip #36 

Use historical data to help avoid politically charged estimation discussions arising from assumptions like "My team is below average."

Tip #37 

In collecting historical data to use for estimation, start small, be sure you understand what you're collecting, and collect the data consistently.

Tip #38 

Collect a project's historical data as soon as possible after the end of the project.

Tip #39 

As a project is underway, collect historical data on a periodic basis so that you can build a data-based profile of how your projects run.

Tip #40 

Use data from your current project (project data) to create highly accurate estimates for the remainder of the project.

Tip #41 

Use project data or historical data rather than industry-average data to calibrate your estimates whenever possible. In addition to making your estimates more accurate, historical data will reduce variability in your estimate arising from uncertainty in the productivity assumptions.

Tip #42 

If you don't currently have historical data, begin collecting it as soon as possible.