Introduction to project management/IPM103/Resources/Estimating resources requirements

Reading

Estimating resources

Read the introduction and the section Estimating the Resources in the prescribed textbook (Web | PDF), Chapter 11 (the whole of page 85 in the PDF version).

This section covers the five tools and techniques for estimating activity resources.

• Expert: for example, a quantity surveyor could be brought in for a building project.
• Alternative analysis: perhaps there is a choice of assigning the job to your own staff, subcontracting, or a combination. Perhaps there are alternative materials, or there is a choice between buying in pre-assembled components rather than resourcing the assembly of components. All of the alternatives will have different resource requirements.
• Published estimating data: There may be publications that have developed estimation guides for specific industries.
• Project management software: There are now many options for software that can help you estimate the resources you require. Microsoft Project is extensively used, but there are many alternatives. See the course guide for a range of options.
• Bottom-up estimating: This is breaking the activities down into their most basic components and allocating the resources at that small level, then adding them all together. It can give high levels of accuracy but is time consuming.

Quiz

For each of the scenarios below, what type of estimation is being used?

• Sally has to figure out what to do for the music at Steve and Susan’s wedding. She considers using a DJ, a rock band, or a string quartet.
  • Expert
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Alternative analysis
    • Correct: Sally is considering several different options.
  • Published estimating data
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Project management software
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Bottom-up estimating
    • Incorrect: Try again.
• The latest issue of Wedding Planner’s Journal has an article on working with caterers. It includes a table that shows how many waiters work with various guest-list sizes.
  • Expert
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Alternative analysis
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Published estimating data
    • Correct: Sally is using published data.
  • Project management software
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Bottom-up estimating
    • Incorrect: Try again.
• There’s a national wedding consultant who specializes in Caribbean-themed weddings. Sally gets in touch with her to ask about menu options.
  • Expert
    • Correct: Sally is calling on an expert who has done this before.
  • Alternative analysis
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Published estimating data
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Project management software
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Bottom-up estimating
    • Incorrect: Try again.
• Sally downloads and fills out a specialized spreadsheet that a project manager developed to help with wedding planning.
  • Expert
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Alternative analysis
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Published estimating data
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Project management software
    • Correct: Sally is using a software solution.
  • Bottom-up estimating
    • Incorrect: Try again.
• There’s so much work that has to be done to set up the reception hall that Sally has to break it down into five different activities in order to assign jobs.
  • Expert
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Alternative analysis
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Published estimating data
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Project management software
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Bottom-up estimating
    • Correct: Sally is breaking down a complex activity into pieces and and working out resources for each one.
• Sally asks Steve and Susan to visit several different caterers and sample various potential items for the menu.
  • Expert
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Alternative analysis
    • Correct: Menus from several caterers are being considered.
  • Published estimating data
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Project management software
    • Incorrect: Try again.
  • Bottom-up estimating
    • Incorrect: Try again.

WEnote post

Briefly describe your use of one of these estimation tools or techniques in a project. Post your comment below and then look on the course feed page to see what others have posted.

Note: Your comment will be displayed in the course feed.