-- Identify the objectives and application users needs and wants.
-- Divide the project into atomic-granular parts, that is, into small, clearly identified tasks.
-- Assign each task the duration, that is, how long the task's completion will take from person or persons working on it. As applicable, use any of your favorite methods or models. Think through the tasks and be as realistic about the durations as you can. When making the calculations, make sure that are able to differentiate between the tasks that can and cannot be completed faster by increased numbers of participants.
-- Add the individual task durations together. Further, as much as possible, take into consideration all the different variables that can prolong the application development process. This is a very tall order - it's easier to multiply the total duration by a number that's more than 1 for an added safety cushion.
| - | The longer and more complex the project, |
| - | the larger is the number of future application users, |
| - | the less familiar are most of the future users with the type of application and/or software they will have to use, |
| - | the less atomic-granular, specific and clearly understood are the individual task descriptions, steps and tasks that have been identified, |
| - | the more creativity are the tasks likely to require, |
| - | the less experienced are the project developers and/or application developers at handling the kinds of tasks the application development requires, |
| - | the fewer application development (labor) reserves there are for the project, |
| - | the more likely it is that product development will require additional development and user testing sessions, |
| - | the more likely it is that external factors may influence the development process adversely, |
| | the bigger should the multiplier be. |
If a sufficient variety of factors are taken into consideration that may affect the product delivery schedule adversely, then the resulting time reserves should be sufficient, because it is extremely unlikely that every possible factor that may affect the product delivery schedule adversely will actually materialize.
-- Then, using the quantities of the labor resources allocated for the tasks, add together the realistically available time between the project's start date and end date. (If today's date is later than the project's start date, you may want to use today's date instead of the project's start date.)
-- Now compare the total duration to the total available time. If the total duration exceeds the total available time, more labor resources, or more time, are needed. For example, if the total duration exceeds the total available time by factor close to 2, then approximately twice as much labor input or time is required as initially planned.
-- Unless extra time is available, decide who and how will handle the additional tasks. Many tasks can be outsourced, that is, they can be done by others, even though it initially may not look that way.
-- Based on the above analysis make the necessary arrangements.
-- Always leave sufficient time and labor reserve, because the reality is usually more demanding than is anticipated. I would recommend 20% to 30% time and labor (combined) reserve in addition to calculating the total duration in the safe way as recommended above.
For a more detailed version of this planning process see the Detailed version subsection.
