SPaMCAST 305 - Estimation Essay

Software Process and Measurement Cast number 305 features our essay on Estimation. Estimation is a hot bed of controversy. We begin by synchronizing on what we think the word means. Then, once we have a common vocabulary we can commence with the fisticuffs. In SPaMCAST 305 we will not shy away from a hard discussion. The essay begins: Software project estimation is a conflation of three related but different concepts. The three concepts are budgeting, estimation and planning. These are typical in a normal commercial organization, however these concepts might be called different things depending your business model. For example, organizations that sell software services typically develop sales bids instead of budgets. Once the budget is developed the evolution from budget to estimate and then plan follows a unique path as the project team learns about the project. Next Software Process and Measurement Cast number 306 features our interview with Luis Gonçalves. We discussed getting rid of performance appraisals. Luis makes the case that performance appraisals hurt people and companies. Upcoming Events DCG Webinars: Raise Your Game: Agile Retrospectives September 18, 2014 11:30 EDT Retrospectives are a tool that the team uses to identify what they can do better. The basic process – making people feel safe and then generating ideas and solutions so that the team can decide on what they think will make the most significant improvement – puts the team in charge of how they work. When teams are responsible for their own work, they will be more committed to delivering what they promise. Agile Risk Management – It Is Still Important! October 24, 2014 11:230 EDT Has the adoption of Agile techniques magically erased risk from software projects? Or, have we just changed how we recognize and manage risk? Or, more frighteningly, by changing the project environment through adopting Agile techniques, have we tricked ourselves into thinking that risk has been abolished? Upcoming: ITMPI Webinar! We Are All Biased! September 16, 2014 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM EST Register HERE How we think and form opinions affects our work whether we are project managers, sponsors or stakeholders. In this webinar, we will examine some of the most prevalent workplace biases such as anchor bias, agreement bias and outcome bias. Strategies and tools for avoiding these pitfalls will be provided. Upcoming Conferences: I will be presenting at the International Conference on Software Quality and Test Management in San Diego, CA on October 1. I have a great discount code!!!! Contact me if you are interested. I will be presenting at the North East Quality Council 60th Conference October 21st and 22nd in Springfield, MA. More on all of these great events in the near future! I look forward to seeing all SPaMCAST readers and listeners that attend these great events! The Software Process and Measurement Cast has a sponsor. As many you know I do at least one webinar for the IT Metrics and Productivity Institute (ITMPI) every year. The ITMPI provides a great service to the IT profession. ITMPI’s mission is to pull together the expertise and educational efforts of the world’s leading IT thought leaders and to create a single online destination where IT practitioners and executives can meet all of their educational and professional development needs. The ITMPI offers a premium membership that gives members unlimited free access to 400 PDU accredited webinar recordings, and waives the PDU processing fees on all live and recorded webinars. The Software Process and Measurement Cast some support if you sign up here. All the revenue our sponsorship generates goes for bandwidth, hosting and new cool equipment to create more and better content for you. Support the SPaMCAST and learn from the ITMPI. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: “This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team.” Support SPaMCAST by buying the book here. Available in English and Chinese.