estimation
One of the most challenging aspects of any software project is estimation – determining how long the work will take. It’s so difficult, some call it a black art. That’s why I highly recommend McConnell’s book, Software Estimation: Demystifying the Black Art; it’s the definitive work on
software development
In Microsoft Project and the Gantt Waterfall, many commenters wondered why software projects can’t be treated like any other construction or engineering project: I am not sure why it is so difficult to estimate software development? Is it a mystery, magic, is there a man behind the curtain that
software development concepts
For the final installment in the How Good an Estimator Are You series, I’d like to start with an anecdote from chapter 7 of Software Estimation: Demystifying the Black Art : Suppose you’re at a reception for the world’s best software estimators. The room is packed, and you’
software development concepts
Here are the answers to the quiz presented in How Good an Estimator Are You? If you’re concerned that a quiz like this has nothing to do with software development, consider: In software, you aren’t often asked to estimate the volume of the Great Lakes or the surface
software development concepts
Chapter 2 of Software Estimation: Demystifying the Black Art opens with a quiz designed to test your estimation abilities. It’s an interesting exercise, so I thought everyone might like to give it a shot. * For each question, fill in the upper and lower bounds so that you have a
software development
I’m currently reading Steve McConnell’s new book, Software Estimation: Demystifying the Black Art. The section on individual expert judgment provided one simple reason why my estimates are often so horribly wrong: If you ask a developer to estimate a set of features, the developer will often come back