Software Estimation • Phoenix, AZ

Attend a Software Estimation course in the PHOENIX area:

Course Guide

Attendee Reviews

Course Overview

Benefits

• Learn about the risks associated with estimating software schedules and effort levels
• Learn to describe the 'cone of uncertainty'
• Learn about the five types of software estimates, and why each one is important
• Learn informal top-down/bottom-up, and formal estimation techniques
• Learn to forecast software sizes using Fuzzy Logic and T-Shirt Sizing techniques
• Learn to estimate software sizes using the decomposition techniques of Analogy,
  Expert Judgment, Wide-Band Delphi, and Planning Poker
• Learn to estimate sizes with Function Point Analysis methods (IFPUG, NESMA,
  SEER-SEM, 3D, MKII)
• Learn to estimate software project duration using COCOMO II
• Learn to estimate software project duration using Putnam's Model
• Learn to estimate software projects size using COSMIC-FFP
• Learn to lower the risk of estimation error
• Learn to improve project tracking with control estimates
• Learn to estimate remaining defect levels in candidate software releases
• Learn to estimate which software development phases are most and least
  efficient in finding defects.
• Learn to calculate your organizations Process Productivity and Manpower Buildup
  indexes (Putnam)
• Learn to create a project control chart (Burnup Chart)
• Learn to create a department or company-wide software estimation procedure
• Learn to create a software estimation results 'historical log' for the department and for individuals

Software Estimation Course Overview

Our course contains the following program:

Part I - The Challenge of Estimating Software Accurately

• How good of an estimator are you?
• Industry Studies on Software Estimation
• Common Estimation Challenges
• Software Estimation as a Wicked Problem
• Navigating the Wicked Problem

Part II - Business Benefits from Estimating Software Accurately

• The Business Value of a Good Software Estimate
• Ingredients for a Good Estimate
• Estimation Sanity Check
• Your Last Project Estimate....

Part III - Understanding Software Estimation

• The Six Types of Software Estimates
• Why more than one estimate?
• Estimation and the Cone of Uncertainty
• The Estimation Formula: Size > Effort > Schedule, Cost, & Optimum Team Size

Part IV - Estimating Size & Effort: Informal Methods

• Top Down: Fuzzy Logic
• Top Down: T-Shirt Sizing
• Bottom Up: Decomposition
• Bottom Up: Analogy
• Group Based: Wide-band Delphi
• Group Based: Planning Poker

Part V - Estimating Size & Effort: Formal Methods

• Function Point Analysis - IFPUG
• Function Point Analysis - NESMA
• Function Point Analysis - SEER-SEM
• Function Point Analysis - 3D Method
• Function Point Analysis - MkII
• Function Point Summary

Part VI - Estimating Size & Schedule: COCOMO II

• COCOMO I vs. COCOMO II
• Calculating a Size Forecast
• Calculating a Size Baseline
• COCOMO II Project Scaling Factors
• COCOMO II Project Effort Multipliers
• COCOMO II Summary

Part VII - Estimating Size, Schedule & Cost: Putnam Method

• What's a Rayleigh Distribution?
• The Manpower Buildup Index (BMI)
• The Productivity Parameter
• Calculating Cost @ Minimum Possible Schedule
• Calculating Cost @ Maximum Practical Schedule
• Calculating Cost @ Desired Schedule
• Calculating Schedule Impossible Zone
• Calculating Schedule Impractical Zone
• Rayleigh Distribution Dynamics
• Schedule Compression Cost Tradeoff's
• Effects of Team Size on Schedule
• Putnam Method Summary

PART IIX - Estimating Size with COSMIC-FFP

• COSMIC-FFP Overview
• End-user Measurement Viewpoint
• Developer Measurement Viewpoint
• IFPUG to COSMIC-FFP Comparison

Part IX - Given Size, Additional Ways to Calculate Schedule and Cost

• Deriving Calendar months from Staff Months
• Calculating Staff Months from SLOC
• Calculating Staff Months from Function Points
• Calculating Staff Months from ISBSG Data Points
• Calculating Staff Months from Jones First-Order Method
• Administrative Effort Modifiers
• Collocation Effort Modifiers
• Diseconomies of Scale

Part X - Software Defect Estimation

• Defect Terminology
• Estimating remaining defects in tested code - Putnam
• Estimating remaining defects in tested code - Defect Insertion

Part XI - Managing Risks with Software Estimation

• Lowering the Risk of Inaccurate Estimates
• Estimation Convergence
• PERT Averaging
• Risk Identification
• Risk Analysis
• Risk Prioritization
• Risk Contingency Planning
• Risk Schedule Impact Adjustment

Part XII - Managing After the Baseline: Control Estimates

• Four Factors that Impact Schedule Accuracy
• Control Estimates
• Managing Scope Creep
• Managing Velocity
• Managing Stakeholder Expectations
• Reporting Estimate Accuracy

Part XIII - Managing Up

• Educating Your Management Team
• Estimation Games
• When not to Estimate
• How to Defend an Estimate
• How to Shorten a Schedule
• What to do when the Schedule is Slipping
• What not to do when the Schedule is Slipping

Part IVX - Estimation Process Improvement

• Establishing Your Standard Estimation Procedure
• Estimation Tools

Software Estimation Activities

Improve Productivity