Tactical goals · Resourcing · Component

The resource estimate

People-weeks, money and any external dependency, stated before commitment.

The deliverable

What it is

Money is usually the easiest of the three resources to secure and the least often the real constraint. Time from the specific people who can do the work usually cannot be found.

Estimating in people-weeks first is what surfaces that. An estimate expressed only in money hides the binding constraint.

One level in

What it is made of

Each element is a constituent part of the component. Follow one to see the attributes it carries.

  1. The effort

    How much work it takes, in people-weeks.

    3 attributes: Effort · Estimate confidence · Basis

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  2. The capability

    Which specific skills the work needs.

    2 attributes: Capability required · Availability

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  3. The cost

    What it costs in money, including anything external.

    2 attributes: Internal · External

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Estimate in working weeks, not calendar weeks. The two differ by about a third, and always in the same direction.