RE: Resources on estimating documentation projects

["Barbara Philbrick" <caslon -at- alltel -dot- net>]

Start by tracking time on your own projects (or if you've been doing it,
compiling the information into something useful --- that's my New Year's
resolution). Although there are good estimating guidelines out there, the
best information is your own experience in your own company.

Every person-corporation-project mix has a different outcome. For example, I
have tracked my hours with small companies and large companies. Large
company projects usually take more time than small company projects ---
generally because there are more meetings and more reporting requirements.
Anyway, from tracking my time, I have a good sense of my own capabilities
(about 2-3 hours per page written, 1 hour per page online help in an ideal
well-documented project), plus a sense of what factors are going to push
those numbers up (things like complex material; programmers who routinely
ignore screen specifications; report-happy managers; uncooperative
reviewers; managers who trump project features at the last minute).

Good luck. Someone else mentioned the Hackos book, which is a good place to
start.

Regards,

Barb




-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+caslon=alltel -dot- net -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+caslon=alltel -dot- net -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of
Robyn Richards
Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2006 5:07 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Resources on estimating documentation projects

Hi all,
Given that it is the New Year and time for those resolutions, I've set
myself a goal of improving my estimating skills for doc projects (time and
effort). Does anyone know of a good book, training course or other resource
that I can use?
Thanks in advance,
Robyn


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