Re: standard time estimates for documentation projects

Subject: Re: standard time estimates for documentation projects
From: "Wanda Phillips" <wajasspike -at- infoconex -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 09 Apr 2002 08:35:13 -0700


I like Stan's method. I think I'll use it in the future for all my projects, writing and other.

In a recent project, I was working with a relatively inexperienced writer who needed a hand with estimating. She couldn't guess how long something was going to take her and the guesses she could come up with didn't include research, edit, and revision.

I created a little spreadsheet for her to use, because she needed to estimate the project length and produce time estimates to be able to request editing resources. The formulas in the spreadsheet allowed us to monkey with the numbers, for example, if she said she could write 2.5 pages a day, we'd start with that and then estimate the hours editing required based on who we wanted to have edit and how technical the content would be. It worked out fairly well to give the writer an idea of the larger picture and it gave her a tool for prioritizing content development.

I'd never tried to get to the details like that before, I'd used a system similar to Stan's - guessing and doubling. I know I need to add that last multiplier, as well!

In the end, nothing ever comes out nice and neat like a formula can make it. People are involved. Changes happen.

Wanda

from the edge of reality
on the edge of the continent



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Follow-Ups:

References:
standard time estimates for documentation projects: From: Lorraine Chapman
Re: standard time estimates for documentation projects: From: Stan Schwartz

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