Software Estimation Series on IBMadison.com

Posted by Robert Merrill on October 19, 2011 under Estimation, Project Set-Up | Be the First to Comment

Thanks, In Business Madison, for running my blog series on the software estimation problem and how to work around it, for both the customer/sponsor and delivery side.

Software Estimation—The Brutal Facts (18 October 2011). Why software estimates are inaccurate, why they’re not likely to get better, and why it’s a business problem, not just an IT problem.

Software Project estimates—and Targets and Commitments (8 November 2011). Why “estimates” often aren’t, and how learning two new words can make everything a lot clearer, and more successful.

Thank you, WI BADD

Posted by Robert Merrill on October 6, 2010 under Agile Methods, Estimation, Project Set-Up, Waterfall (SDLC) | Be the First to Comment

Thank You to the three Wisconsin IIBA chapters who hosted the fourth annual WI BADD™ on Tuesday, 10/5/2010, and the firms that sponsored it. I met some new people and learned some new things, and I know that was a lot of work to put on.

Thanks also to the enthusiastic audience for my talk, “Room To Breathe: The Role of the BA in Shaping Early Project Expectations.” If you would like me to speak with your software sponsors or development group about the project target, estimation, and commitment problem, please contact me and we’ll set something up.

Several of you requested additional material on the estimation problem. Here are a few things:

• If Software Estimators Ran the National Hurricane Center (blog post)
• Software Sanity: Accurate Estimates and Other Myths (WTN, the Wisconsin Technology Network)
• A Tale of Two Processes (WTN, the Wisconsin Technology Network)
• If You’re Always Late, A Faster Car Won’t Help (blog post)

Thanks again, everybody at WI BADD™, for a great day. I hope to see you again on Tuesday, 10/11/11.

Estimation Talk at WI BADD, October 5, Madison WI

Posted by Robert Merrill on August 9, 2010 under Estimation, Project Set-Up | Be the First to Comment

Robert spoke on “Room to Breathe: The Vital Role of the BA in Shaping Early Project Effort Expectations” at WI BADD™, the Wisconsin Business Analysis Development Day, on Tuesday 10/5/2010 in Madison, WI.