Estimation (project management)

For estimation in general, see Estimation.

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Estimation within project management (e.g., for engineering or software development), are the basis of sound project planning. Many processes have been developed to aid project managers in making accurate estimates.

• Analogy based estimation
• Compartmentalization (i.e., breakdown of tasks)
• Cost estimate
• Delphi method
• Documenting estimation results
• Educated assumptions
• Estimating each task
• Examining historical data
• Identifying dependencies
• Parametric estimating
• Risk assessment
• Structured planning

Popular estimation processes for software projects include:

• Cocomo
• Cosysmo
• Event chain methodology
• Function points
• Planning poker
• Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
• Proxy-based estimating (PROBE) (from the Personal Software Process)
• The Planning Game (from Extreme Programming)
• Weighted Micro Function Points (WMFP)
• Wideband Delphi

• Estimation in software engineering
• Software development effort estimation
• Comparison of development estimation software
• Work Breakdown Structure
• Guesstimate
• Ballpark estimate
• Construction Estimating Software

Look up estimation in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Project Estimation Methods
• Estimation chapter from "Applied Software Project Management" (PDF)
• The Dynamics of Software Projects Estimation
• Estimations in project management
• Three types of B2C estimates