Where to Start

Where you start will depend on what you want to get out of the book.

If you bought this book because you need to create an estimate right now… Begin with Chapter 1 ("What Is an "Estimate"?), and then move to Chapter 7 ("Count, Compute, Judge") and Chapter 8 ("Calibration and Historical Data"). After that, skim the tips in Chapters 10–20 to find the techniques that will be the most immediately useful to you. By the way, this book's tips are highlighted in the text and numbered, and all of the tips—118 total—are also collected in Appendix C, "Software Estimation Tips."

If you want to improve your personal estimation skills, if you want to improve your organization's estimation track record, or if you're looking for a better understanding of software estimation in general… You can read the whole book. If you like to understand general principles before you dive into the details, read the book in order. If you like to see the details first and then draw general conclusions from the details, you can start with Chapter 1, read Chapters 7 through 23, and then go back and read the earlier chapters that you skipped.

Bellevue, Washington
New Year's Day, 2006

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