Best Practices: Estimating Development Projects

April 22nd, 2008

Carey Schwaber

With contributors:

Peter Sterpe , Marc Cecere , Mike Gilpin , David D'Silva

Summary

Poor estimates and the resulting poor project plans cause project failures. Application development organizations' estimates are fairly accurate for small projects, but they often fall short for large or complex projects. Good estimates and plans result when application development organizations follow four best practices: 1) groom estimation experts; 2) base estimates on past results; 3) crosscheck estimates using multiple techniques; and 4) revise estimates as knowledge improves. A few enlightened shops also upgrade requirements definition to decrease uncertainty and further burnish practitioners' skills with training in estimation tools.

Want to read the full report?

This report is available for individual purchase ($1495).

Forrester helps business and technology leaders use customer obsession to accelerate growth. That means empowering you to put the customer at the center of everything you do: your leadership strategy, and operations. Becoming a customer-obsessed organization requires change — it requires being bold. We give business and technology leaders the confidence to put bold into action, shaping and guiding how to navigate today's unprecedented change in order to succeed.