How to Run Successful Projects III: The Silver Bullet (3rd Edition)

This document describes an estimating procedure, based around Steps 1 “5 of the Ten Steps, which could be used by all personnel, not just project managers, when making estimates. This procedure could form part of a series of project management procedures which could, in turn , go into a software development organization's quality manual. The procedure has seven sections.

Section 1 shows how to develop a work breakdown structure (WBS) and to use this to make estimates of effort. This is the "demand" side of the project equation.

Section 2 shows how to calculate the "supply" side, i.e. the availability of resources.

Section 3 shows how to match the demand to the supply, thereby building a model of how your project might unfold.

Section 4 shows you how to build in some contingency to your plan.

Section 5 shows you how to use this model to identify options and make sensible decisions about what can and cannot be achieved.

Section 6 shows you what to do once a preferred option has been chosen .

Section 7 contains a sample WBS.