Knowing how to correctly evaluate the duration of the project will help to maintain a stable development process. On the stage of the formation of the project framework and analysis of requirements, this knowledge will be very helpful. Let’s take a closer look at best approaches for time-management. They will help you monitor your software development project.
Progressive JPEG method
Your project is ready for preview at any time. This means that the tab of the basic minimum functionality (draft with basic buttons) is developed at the very beginning, and then refinement only takes place. This approach performs well when the customer wants to see some work progress in three weeks. He saw your draft, thought it over and talked to you. Therefore it turned out that half of the functionality, agreed upon earlier, was no longer needed at all.
CPM (Critical Path Method)
The purpose of the method is to search within the project for such work sites, that cannot be performed simultaneously. For instance – a comparison of two pictures (the original and the processed one) can occur only after the comparison logic works. There is little use for a finished page in a browser with a container for pictures, a header and a block for social networks. It is these places in the project, that affect its execution time. The calculation of the cost of segments executed in parallel will allow you to understand how much resources are required for optimal work on tasks, and get an approximate project duration.
Expert Judgement
The method consists in attracting third-party specialists to derive the required values. Experts in the right field issue their verdict on the topic of cost or time frame. After that, you can average all the proposals, or you can try to come to a common solution during the discussion. The involvement of experts in the discussion of options is certainly more effective and will give a more accurate, reasoned and tested assessment.
Three Point Estimation
One of the most common and simple methods. In it’s framework optimistic (O = Optimistic), pessimistic (P = Pessimistic) and realistic average (M = Middle) estimates are first determined. The values of P, M and O are determined expertly (in hours, days, $), for example, during a discussion within the project team. Further, the obtained values of P, M, and O are substituted in the formula:
(O + 4 M + P) / 6
The result of the calculation gives an average estimate. Such a formula makes it possible to take into account possible positive and negative scenarios on the one hand. On the other hand to “smooth out” their influence and obtain a more realistic value of the assessment.
Analogous Estimation
Here, completed projects or experience in evaluating large works will play into your hands. Firstly, you need to remember what you did similar to the current project, what nuances there were. Seconfly, how much it cost per unit of time, how similar tasks were solved. To evaluate a large project, it is necessary to break it into smaller parts, using the principle of decomposition.
In conclusion, knowing all these approaches and implementing one of them in practice will help you monitor your software development project. Organize processes smoothly and reach all the desired outcomes. Do you use any of these approaches and what are the results?