Software Project Cost and Schedule Estimating: Best Practices with 3.5 Disk [Paperback]

William H. Roetzheim (Author), Reyna Beasley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1997

68208-8 Finally! Accurate software estimates and schedules! More projects are doomed by poor cost and schedule estimates than anything else. But it doesn't have to be that way. This book presents powerful, scientific techniques for confidently producing-and defending-accurate software development estimates and schedules. Leading software costing experts William H. Roetzheim and Reyna A. Beasley walk through every form of estimating: high-level estimates for feasibility planning; function-oriented estimates for procurement; and implementation-oriented estimates based on detailed designs. Discover better ways to measure lines of code and function points; new GUI and object metrics; and how to take advantage of "top down" and "bottom up" methods for smaller projects. Learn how to create outputs that include: *Lifecycle costs, including maintenance and support. *Staffing profiles. *Cost broken down by phase and activity. *Project risk profiles, and much more. You also get free evaluation copies of three world-class Windows-based software estimating and scheduling tools: Cost*ExpertaA A , Risk*ExpertaA A and Strategy*ExpertaA A .Calibrated using over 2,000 real-world projects, these tools can predict costs within 5%! If you're a software engineer, developer, or manager, these tools and techniques will help you confidently predict what you'll need-and deliver what you promise!

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Preface

In our experience, more projects are doomed from poor cost and schedule estimates than ever succumb to technical, political, or development team problems. Yet so few companies and individuals really understand that software estimating can be a science, not just an art. It really is possible to accurately and consistently estimate costs and schedules for a wide range of projects. I call this knowledge 'Taking control of your life,' because it gives you the skills you need to confidently predict the resources required to be successful, calculate realistic delivery times, and consistently deliver your projects on time and on budget. This book will show you how to become an estimating wizard.

We'll start by covering the various methods of estimating the size of a program (called program volume). We'll discuss the traditional measures of lines of code and function points, plus the latest work using graphical user interface (GUI) metrics and object metrics. We will also discuss both top down and bottom up estimating, two techniques that are especially valuable for smaller projects. We'll discuss how to quantify the impact of changes in the project environment (resources, development tools, and so on). You'll learn how to compute the optimal project schedule, and how to adjust the resource requirements for schedules that are other than optimal. We'll also show you how to incorporate risk and sensitivity analysis into your estimating process.

From the Back Cover

Finally! Accurate software estimates and schedules!

More projects are doomed by poor cost and schedule estimates than anything else. But it doesn't have to be that way. This book presents powerful, scientific techniques for confidently producing—and defending—accurate software development estimates and schedules.

Leading software costing experts William H. Roetzheim and Reyna A. Beasley walk through every form of estimating: high-level estimates for feasibility planning; function-oriented estimates for procurement; and implementation-oriented estimates based on detailed designs.

Discover better ways to measure lines of code and function points; new GUI and object metrics; and how to take advantage of “top down” and “bottom up” methods for smaller projects. Learn how to create outputs that include:

* Lifecycle costs, including maintenance and support.
* Staffing profiles.
* Cost broken down by phase and activity.
* Project risk profiles, and much more.

You also get free evaluation copies of three world-class Windows-based software estimating and scheduling tools: Cost•Expert™, Risk•Expert™ and Strategy•Expert™. Calibrated using over 2,000 real-world projects, these tools can predict costs within 5%!

If you're a software engineer, developer, or manager, these tools and techniques will help you confidently predict what you'll need—and deliver what you promise!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR (November 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0136820891
• ISBN-13: 978-0136820895
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #578,742 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

William Roetzheim is best known as the author of ten technical books on management, technology, and software along with over 150 technical articles. He founded two successful software companies (Marotz, Inc. and Cost Xpert Group, Inc.), winning numerous awards (Inc. 500, Deloitte and Touch Fast 50, Total Excellence in Management Award, Best Place to Work in San Diego, Borland Application of the Year, and many others). He sold both companies and retired from the world of technology to focus on his primary love, poetry. His poems have won numerous awards and recognition, including the Milford Fine Arts Council National Poetry Contest, Writers Challenge, Faulkner Society Poetry Award, Oberon Prize, Pagan Poetry Contest, Saturday Writers One Page Poetry Contest, and the Baltimore Science Fiction Convention Poetry Prize.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Caveat Emptor, March 25, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Software Project Cost and Schedule Estimating: Best Practices with 3.5 Disk (Paperback)

This book originally caught my eye because it gave the impression of discussing a variety of estimating techniques from function points to COCOMO. For example the synopsis from amazon.com states, "Powerful, scientific techniques are presented for confidently producing and defending accurate software development estimates and schedules." In my opinion nothing could be farther from the truth. This book should really be titled "A User Manual for CostXPert" which is a copyrighted estimating program developed by the author. It briefly summarizes common estimating techniques in the first two chapters. From chapter three on the text is focused entirely on the CostXPert program. The CostXPert program is included on CD ROM, which is usable for only a six month evaluation period. Of course the author offers to sell you a copy at $995 per license, discounts for larger orders. I am still evaluating the CostXPert software and it could possibly have some merit. The book itself as a means of learning about software project scheduling and cost estimating is woefully inadequate in comparison to other books such as Bary Boehm's "Software Engineering Economics." In fact I am a bit steamed that I spent $50 which is essentially subsidizing the authors marketing costs. If you were interested in the software I would suggest that you go to the authors website and download the program, which comes with a 30 day evaluation. The only benefit that you get with the book is a six month evaluation period instead of 30 days. Caveat Emptor!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Pricey User Manual, October 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Software Project Cost and Schedule Estimating: Best Practices with 3.5 Disk (Paperback)

If you took out what was not directly related to the vastly overpriced costXpert product you would have about 10 pages.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Software - Book is a User's Manual for Trial Software, December 30, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Software Project Cost and Schedule Estimating: Best Practices with 3.5 Disk (Paperback)

I happened across this book in the University of Wisconsin bookstore and picked it up hoping it would expand on things already covered in Boehm's work. As a book, it isn't so great.

However, the software it contains is one of the most usable cost estimation tools around - if you need that kind of tool. In many cases, I've gone through the process that this software shows with other people who bought the tool outright (it's expensive if you're getting it as a single user - if you're buying it for corporate use, it's quite a value). The software is particularly valuable if you're a novice at cost estimation, since you can experiment with different lifecycles, documentation standards, and environmental factors. From this standpoint, the Marotz tool is an excellent educational device.

In short, if you need a software cost estimation tool - download
the free trial version from Marotz and try it out. This book
by itself is probably promising too much.