Evaluation of new projects

"Why me?!"

It is difficult to start writing and structuring thoughts, when, over many years of work, a million ideas and ideas have accumulated, how to make an assessment of a project quickly and as accurately as possible.

Let's start in order. During my work in IT, to me, as in principle, and to any IT specialist, they come with requests to evaluate this or that task, functionality or project. The first reaction is the same for everyone: “Why am I ?!”. Typed answers go to such a question: “You wanted something new ?!”, “You are a great specialist!”, “This is your development!”, Etc., etc. You can continue the semantic row yourself, why the lot of fate fell on you.

All this is certainly good, but what to do if the topic is new for you and it wasn’t often necessary to evaluate it, and here the task is amazing: "Rate us how to take a person to Mars!"

Special agent

Let's imagine that you are an agent of intelligence services, and your main task is to collect primary information. Remember the swing, which in the imagination of each participant in the development process are built differently. So, so that this does not happen with estimates, we begin to collect and structure information on the requirements. All requirements must be clear, unambiguous and, it is important that they are documented and agreed with the customer.
Ohhh, don't throw a stone at me if there are no demands at all!
')
You are a special agent! Act!

We assign a rendezvous with all the actors, ask the right questions and begin to write and structure ourselves, what ultimately needs to be done.

Build a bike

The head is spinning on the number of different languages, technologies and frameworks ... Do not just invent something from scratch. Usually there are best practices in project implementation, there are many articles and many experts who will tell you what and how to use and how to do it.
Your task before writing assessments is to decide what you will use when working on a project. My advice is one, than pop technology or language, the easier it is to find answers to any questions.

Nail bucket

Finally we got to the very assessment of the task!

We begin to break one big task into atomic tasks until we can say for sure - how much time is needed for it. In my own experience I can say that the task should be evaluated in hours and should not be more than 16 (two days of work directly to implement it).
Do not forget about the work for the task. You should also evaluate participation in rallies, writing unit tests, testing, etc.

Accurate estimates are difficult to give, so you can fork and write three estimates for the tasks: optimistic, realistic, and when everything went beard.

Some of the ratings are best asked to make those who worked with the selected technologies.

"We are in the straw project!"

Unfortunately, it's impossible to know everything. In addition, to check how the technology works, not always enough time. Therefore it is necessary to write down all your assumptions. And also, if you are not sure about the implementation, write the risks.

The more accurate and detailed the risks and assumptions are written, the greater the chances that the project will go as it should, and in the end they will thank you!

Circumcision and adjustment

Uffff, all assessments have been made, and finally they may be left behind, BUT it was not there.
Very often your grades are too big for a customer or too small for a project manager. The stage of circumcision of all superfluous and adjustment of estimates begins.
A good practice would be to ask your team to evaluate your tasks. Often there is no such group, then we are preparing a story why the assessments take so much time and not an hour more or less. You must be able to justify the laid figures.

What came to?

Definitely, not everyone may like to be engaged in the evaluation of labor costs for the project. This process is extremely abstract and complex. Every time he goes in a new way and never repeats.

I advise you to look at this process on the other hand, you have a unique chance to see new technologies, to understand what is now in demand in the market, to get a unique experience of communication.

Participation in such projects usually raises your competitive level in the labor market and gives impetus to development.

In my article, I tried to focus on basic things when evaluating labor costs, and I hope it will be useful for both young and experienced specialists.