Comments on: QA Estimation http://www.testinglounge.com/2007/06/12/qa-estimation/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed Software Testing Practices and Methodologies Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:19:32 +0530 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Megan http://www.testinglounge.com/2007/06/12/qa-estimation/comment-page-1/#comment-68 Megan Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:07:08 +0000 http://www.testinglounge.com/2007/06/12/qa-estimation/#comment-68 Right now my company does 3 point estimates but there is nothing in place to verify those methods, like function points or something else. If function points dont really work then what would you recommend? Right now my company does 3 point estimates but there is nothing in place to verify those methods, like function points or something else. If function points dont really work then what would you recommend?

]]> By: Robin Thomas http://www.testinglounge.com/2007/06/12/qa-estimation/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Robin Thomas Wed, 24 Oct 2007 18:17:15 +0000 http://www.testinglounge.com/2007/06/12/qa-estimation/#comment-35 Thanks for the correction. sorry about the typo :-) Thanks for the correction. sorry about the typo :-)

]]> By: JOE http://www.testinglounge.com/2007/06/12/qa-estimation/comment-page-1/#comment-34 JOE Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:03:29 +0000 http://www.testinglounge.com/2007/06/12/qa-estimation/#comment-34 The Golden rule of all estimations “DO NOT DO SOFTWARE PROJECT ESTIMATIONS WITH ALL NECESSARY SUPPORT DOCUMENTATION IN PLACE.” Huh? The Golden rule of all estimations “DO NOT DO SOFTWARE PROJECT ESTIMATIONS WITH ALL NECESSARY SUPPORT DOCUMENTATION IN PLACE.”

Huh?

]]> By: Molly http://www.testinglounge.com/2007/06/12/qa-estimation/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Molly Fri, 20 Jul 2007 20:20:23 +0000 http://www.testinglounge.com/2007/06/12/qa-estimation/#comment-13 yes, that does answer my question. Thanks a bunch! yes, that does answer my question. Thanks a bunch!

]]> By: Robin Thomas http://www.testinglounge.com/2007/06/12/qa-estimation/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Robin Thomas Fri, 20 Jul 2007 02:22:24 +0000 http://www.testinglounge.com/2007/06/12/qa-estimation/#comment-12 Molly, There is nothing and can be nothing "scientific" about a Wild Ass Guess right? :-) cos after all that is what it is wild ass guessing. Hence scientific is a misnomer. The practice of doing estimations without supporting documentation is one of the industry worst practices which is deeply entrenched in some of the biggest CMM level 5 companies which i have worked with. Since this is a common practice today, even your customers expect estimates for half baked projects & i know how frustrating it can be estimating such projects. This is the bottomline, "The entire functionality or requirements of a proposed system have not yet been finalized to a good degree." This means the customer is unclear about what he wants, then how would you clearly understand what he wants you to test. Take a look around your organization: 1. if you see estimates going haywire 2. if you see project members working late into the night 3. if 2 months into a project you see work allocation happening by "seat of your pants method" You can trace it to having set the wrong expectations during your estimation phase. It is the blueprint, never spoil it for lack of information. If that happens in your organization, its time for a "Process improvement proposal" :-) Ok, lemme answer your question.... "If you are asked for an estimate without supporting documentation, NEVER DO IT." "IS IT POSSIBLE TO REFUSE SOMETHING LIKE THAT?"...... Trust me i it is.... Been there done that :-) Lemme know if that answers your question hApPy tEsTinG Robin Molly,
There is nothing and can be nothing “scientific” about a Wild Ass Guess right? :-) cos after all that is what it is wild ass guessing. Hence scientific is a misnomer.

The practice of doing estimations without supporting documentation is one of the industry worst practices which is deeply entrenched in some of the biggest CMM level 5 companies which i have worked with.

Since this is a common practice today, even your customers expect estimates for half baked projects & i know how frustrating it can be estimating such projects.

This is the bottomline, “The entire functionality or requirements of a proposed system have not yet been finalized to a good degree.” This means the customer is unclear about what he wants, then how would you clearly understand what he wants you to test.

Take a look around your organization:
1. if you see estimates going haywire
2. if you see project members working late into the night
3. if 2 months into a project you see work allocation happening by “seat of your pants method”

You can trace it to having set the wrong expectations during your estimation phase. It is the blueprint, never spoil it for lack of information. If that happens in your organization, its time for a “Process improvement proposal” :-)

Ok, lemme answer your question…. “If you are asked for an estimate without supporting documentation, NEVER DO IT.”
“IS IT POSSIBLE TO REFUSE SOMETHING LIKE THAT?”……
Trust me i it is…. Been there done that :-)

Lemme know if that answers your question

hApPy tEsTinG
Robin

]]> By: Molly http://www.testinglounge.com/2007/06/12/qa-estimation/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Molly Thu, 19 Jul 2007 16:03:19 +0000 http://www.testinglounge.com/2007/06/12/qa-estimation/#comment-11 So if you are asked for an estimate without all the documentation, do you resort to a SWAG estimate? So if you are asked for an estimate without all the documentation, do you resort to a SWAG estimate?

]]> By: TesterQA http://www.testinglounge.com/2007/06/12/qa-estimation/comment-page-1/#comment-5 TesterQA Wed, 13 Jun 2007 10:09:07 +0000 http://www.testinglounge.com/2007/06/12/qa-estimation/#comment-5 Thanks for sharing very important topic. Thanks for sharing very important topic.

]]>