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6.4 Estimate Activity Durations

 

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6.4 Estimate Activity Durations

The process of determining approximate durations to complete the work activities with estimated resources. 

 

Simple Version: estimate the work required.

 

The estimates are “progressively elaborated” and consider the quality of the input data.

 

PMI

 

Agile

PMBOK, Agile Difference, Comment

Inputs

Activity list

Activity attributes

Activity resource requirements

Resource calendars

Project scope statement

Enterprise environmental factors

Organizational process assets

 

Tools and Techniques

Expert judgment

Analogous estimating

Parametric estimating

Three point estimates

Reserve analysis

 

Outputs

Activity duration estimates

Project document updates

 

Inputs

Activity list

Activity attributes

Stories

Activity resource requirements

Resource calendars

Project scope statement

Enterprise environmental factors

Organizational process assets

 

Tools and Techniques

Expert judgment

Analogous estimating

Parametric estimating

Three point estimates

Reserve analysis

Group based estimation – Wideband Delphi (Planning Poker)

 

 

Outputs

Activity duration estimates / Estimated backlog

Project document updates

 

Activity estimation is usually done at a story level on agile projects. Approaches like Planning Poker have strong links to Wideband Delphi estimation techniques and fit well with the group based, iterative, consensus seeking principles employed on agile projects. Initially all the stories will not be identified, nor will reliable velocity figures be available. At the start of an agile project more traditional estimation approaches and used, then as iterations demonstrate true development rates, a shift in emphasis to more of the agile based estimation approaches can be safely made. Non development tasks can be estimated using traditional approaches and added to the story estimates.

 

 

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