Calculating Estimates for a Project

Once you have an estimating model defined for a process, you can use it to calculate estimates for a project based on that process as follows:

  1. Make a copy of the process you want to use.

    While not essential to calculate estimates, if you want to retain the estimates for future reference, you should first create a copy of the capability pattern or Delivery Process you want to use.

  2. Select the estimating model to use.

    Open your process and open the estimation tab in the process editor. Select the estimating model you want to use in the Estimating Model selection box.

  3. Select the top level element in the process and click the Modify Estimating Factor Counts button. Enter the counts for the estimating factors for your project.

    When you click OK, the estimates will be recalculated using the selected estimating model and the counts you have entered for the project.

  4. You can now modify the estimating formulae that will be applied across the process or top-level element by clicking the Modify Estimating Formulae... button.
  5. Apply process to your project.

    It is unlikely that you will use the process exactly as it is provided. If you remove activities or tasks, you will obviously reduce the estimate for the project.

    If you create additional instances of activities or tasks, these will carry over the estimating information from the original activity or task. You might want to adjust the counts for the estimating factors used in these activities and tasks since you will probably plan to work on a subset of the project artifacts in each instance of the activity or task.

    If you create new activities or tasks you can enter default estimates or create your own formulae using the estimating factors in the estimating model(s) you are using.