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Since I have never been able to estimate the number of pages required BEFORE
starting a project, I base my estimate on the number of topics. Each topic
seems to be somewhere between 8 and 15 pages, and I estimate 3 days per topic
for the final manual. I usually have a draft ready in 60% of that time. I
have gone back and measured actual time taken, and find that I am usually with
a couple of days of my estimate, which seems fairly good to me.
In preparing my estimate, I complete the following steps:
1. Prepare a list of tasks/topics.
2. Identify primary users of each task.
3. Prepare a User:Task matrix.
4. Identify required documents.
5. Review with project team to obtain consensus.
6. Estimate time per document (3 X # of topics).
7. Schedule review date for first draft (60% of #6).
Suzette Seveny
Markham, Ontario, Canada
sseveny -at- petvalu -dot- com or suzette -at- yesic -dot- com
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DISCLAIMER:
Any opinions expressed are MY opinions.
Feel free to have your own.
Let's agree to disagree
But Please - Don't Flame Me.
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." --
Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977
