Project Management
I know we have spoken about Project management before, but I wanted to draw attention to this particular resource, especially point number 3.
Another thing I wanted to highlight as well is estimating effort with the build. How long does it take to create, build and deliver?
The best way is to use historical data based on similar projects. I have found it useful keeping a log of effort when working on my own projects. The amount of detail captured at the time can help to quote estimated effort for future projects. This will be discussed in the first class.
In the meantime, this calculator may be a good start to get some estimates;
The calculator is the first link
I’ve also included a sample Excel Spreadsheet time log that is an example of how effort can be measured. A knowledge of spreadsheets and Pivot Tables is recommended. Other time keeping apps or tools could be used.
I taught Microsoft Project for many years as a software trainer, and although the software doesn’t necessarily need to be used to successfully manage projects, the concepts and terminology used in the software reflects the language and workflows used in project management more broadly.
You may see Microsoft Project popping up in search results when undertaking your own research. There will be relevant information about project management not just specific information about the software. The below PDF goes in to detail about how MS Project performs its calculations which we can apply to our own planning, regardless of which tools we use to manage our projects.
This document may seem a bit technical, however being able to distinguish between different types of tasks and how resourcing can impact effort, gives us a more informed picture to make better decisions.
PDF explaining different task types and effort driven scheduling.
The above PDF is from this site, which has a treasure trove of information worth checking out.