Estimation 101

by Thiyagarajan Maruthavanan (Rajan)

While estimating when accounting people never assume a linear model for people.The trick is understand/acknowledge the linearity/non – linearity of the people and then using it effectively. Metrics gathered via experience are more reliable than some jazzy metric coming out of software engineering journal.
Also factor the high fixed cost ( high learning curve ) seperately if the technology expertise does not exist already. Estimating a project based on the marginal cost and ignoring the initial fixed cost could lead to a pathetic estimation.
Do a top down estimate and later a bottom estimate and they lead to converged numbers , this will help catch some flaws in the assumptions being made.