Re: Time Estimation Question

[Keith Allingham <kallingham -at- PLAINTREE -dot- COM>]

     I have to disagree with this.
     I would *like* to agree (that would make my job way easier).
     However, this is verification - its an integral part of the
     documentation production process.
     Sizing it can be iffy, I agree, but your estimate can include cya's
     like "each procedure will take 1.5 hours to verify, assuming
     functional s/w"
     - if the s/w is not functional, you can't take the
       blame for a schedule overrun
     - if the s/w has changed, ditto.
     Its all about CYAs and negotiation.
     My 2 cents,
     Keith Allingham
     Plaintree Systems


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Time Estimation Question
Author:  Donald Le Vie <dlevie -at- VLINE -dot- NET>  at internet
Date:    6/29/99 1:33 PM


I would provide an estimate on all other services BUT the one you're having
trouble with. That's more of a usability issue than an editing issue.
Different set of requirements....

Donn Le Vie
Director, Information Development
Integrated Concepts, Inc.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Letty Smith [SMTP:lsmith -at- CTILIMITED -dot- COM]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 1999 1:10 PM
> To:   TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject:      Time Estimation Question
>
> I have searched the archives and wasn't able to come up with a good answer
> to this question. Hopefully, some of you out there have faced a similar
> situation and can give me some advice.
>
> I am working on editing a set of online help documents for a software
> product.  The editing is a comprehensive one, designed to:
>      Fix grammar errors
>      Improve the clarity
>      Spell check
>      Reformat long documents into managable sections
>      Include screen prints of processes and buttons
>      Provide consistent naming conventions
>      Check that each field on the software matches the documentation
>      Run each process that the software can do, and make sure that the
>      software actually does it the way that the documentation says it
> does.
>
> The last item is the one that is stumping me.  This is very complicated
> software, and running any one of the processes takes somewhere between 1
> minute and 3 hours (depending on how much previous data I have to load and
> create for testing).  I have had tests take a whole day to finish, when
> the
> system was feeling buggy.  They have also taken 20 seconds.
>
> Does anyone have a good rule of thumb as to how to estimate how long this
> sort of editing should take?  I'd like to be able to present my manager
> with some guesstimation, as I'm starting to get the "gee, what are you
> DOING with your time" looks.   Currently, there is no method being used to
> estimate how long it should take, so any help would be an improvement.
>
> How about for this sort of edit *without* the software testing?
>
> Letty Smith
>
>
> From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=
> =
>


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