RE: Estimating a Project

Subject: RE: Estimating a Project
From: "David Hickey" <david -dot- hickey -at- cgi -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 10:22:33 -0500


Greetings!

Everyone has their own way of estimating which, as John P. put it,
depends on your own experience. Only you know how fast you work, so only
you can figure out how long it will take you.

Personally, when I'm estimating a software documentation project, I
count the number of screens/windows in the app. Then I multiply that
number by 1.5 to 2 days per screen (depending on the complexity of the
app). Sometimes I'll add an extra 20% to the time to handle the
unexpected (especially if the app is in its infancy).

So if the app is a fairly complex tool and it has 20 windows in it, then
I would estimate it would take 40 working days to complete the
documentation.

Of course, this is my billable time and it includes research, writing,
and editing. I then write up a schedule that details when the drafts
will be dropped off, when they are supposed to be returned, and when the
final product is ready. The schedule also has a clause that states that
if client is late in returning draft copies, then the writer gets more
time to deliver the final product.

IMPORTANT: Make sure you get the client to read this schedule and
sign-off on it. Hopefully, you'll never have to resort to it, but if the
client's app is late or if he doesn't respect the draft schedule, you
can fall back to it when you request an extension to the delivery date.
The contract, with this all important clause, has saved my bacon on more
than one occasion.
--
John David Hickey
Mtl_techwriter Moderator
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mtl_techwriter/

Documentia Inc.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada eh?
http://documentia.ca
514-488-5430
--



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Purchase RoboHelp X3 in April and receive a $100 mail-in
rebate, plus FREE RoboScreenCapture and WebHelp Merge Module.
Order here: http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l

Help celebrate TECHWR-L's 10th Anniversary starting this month!
Check out the contests at http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/special/contests/
Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday TECHWR-L....

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.



References:
RE: Estimating a Project: From: Wade Courtney

Previous by Author: Duh! Can't create merged index for master project in RHX3
Next by Author: RE: YOU are responsible, even when YOU are not to blame
Previous by Thread: Word play: levity
Next by Thread: RE: Estimating a Project


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads