Plan Your Project

Estimating Your Project Metrics are measurements used to monitor the productivity of all development efforts. By using metrics, you can estimate and plan projects, set goals, motivate and reward people and compare effectiveness of tools and techniques. Metrics establish quality standards, point out areas that are excellent or that need improvement and measure overall efficiency and responsiveness.

gantthead articles Pages: 1 2 next> Business Intelligence Building Blocks: A Strong Business Case Gets Results - by John L. Doran (January 1, 2003) How to expand beyond the single point estimate by exploring the different levels of sophistication behind estimating. A Conversation with Dr. Harry Markowitz - by Paul Harder (May 21, 2002) The father of the Modern Portfolio Theory takes some time out to share his thoughts about portfolio management. Say What You Want and Get What You Need - by Mark E. Mullaly, PMP (July 2, 2001) The estimation game is widely played--and widely misunderstood. Get the kind of estimates that you need by communicating clearly with your client on reasonable timeframes and costs. Once you start playing the game, you run the risk of losing big. Using and Managing Contingency: Part I--Schedule Contingency - by Harvey A. Levine (March 12, 2001) In this first part of a three-part series, the author focuses on overcoming time (scheduling) constraints. Curiosity: The Prerequisite for Good Estimates - by Jan Warko, PMP (February 5, 2001) Estimating is a skill essential to successful project management and one that is nearly impossible to teach. Personal experience is one way to learn, but it's not the only way. Take advantage of your natural sense of curiosity to hone your estimating skills. An Estimate Isn't Supposed to Be Accurate, Stupid! - by Ian Simpson (July 17, 2000) If you had a time machine or crystal ball, you wouldn't need an estimate for your projects--you would already know the final time and cost. Well, this is the real world. You're going to estimate, and your estimates are going to be wrong. Get over it.

downloads Pages: 1 2 3 4 next> Business Financial Analysis Template Series ( Template ) This set of comprehensive Excel templates will help you calculate the overall value of a business. Cash Flow Business Valuation Model ( Template ) Here's a discounted cash flow model for a complete business. Find out fast the market value of company assets. Using Special Situation Estimating Techniques If you don’t have any good metrics on which to base your estimates, what do you do? Reading tea leaves or dissecting the entrails of dead chickens won't cut it. This presentation will explain sound estimating techniques that really work. Other Factors You Must Consider in Project Planning There are common risk factors that could seriously impact your project, and they might not appear in your project plan, task list or schedule. When Good Planning Deep-Sixes a Project Some projects are doomed never to get off the ground. Why? Because project planning revealed fatal flaws. Fine-Tuning and Padding Your Project's Budget How to refine your estimates and provide a cushion of extra money in your project's budget.