Chapter 12. PROJECT ESTIMATING

As soon as someone asks "How long will the project take, and how many staff hours are required?", your reputation as development manager is on the line. You could offer up a quick estimate that gets the task off of your to-do list, or you could take the time to create a thoughtful project estimate and be confident that you can actually make it happen.

Winging it by providing a quick estimate might be the fastest way to provide an answer, but it's also an easy way to "get fried." And after being cooked a few times over poor estimates, most development managers start looking for a better estimating recipe.

For new managers, the best estimating method isn't always obvious. At the extreme end of the spectrum, you can't ...

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