"It Will Cost HOW Much?" How to Have Constructive Conversations about Estimates

IT project stakeholders such as administrators and faculty often want detailed, specific estimates about project cost before they agree to sponsor a project. Unfortunately, as any IT project manager knows, project plans are often full of educated guesses and complete unknowns, which makes any estimate highly uncertain. This session will introduce attendees to strategies for making and discussing IT project estimates that more effectively communicate that uncertainty to stakeholders. We will discuss French and Raven’s power theory, McConnell’s cone of uncertainty, "fantasy factors," and estimation techniques such as dual-point estimation, constrained-scope prototyping, and ratio-based costing that embrace uncertainty, while still providing stakeholders with actionable numbers.