Software Engineering Institute Carnegie Mellon

Software Cost and Schedule Estimating: A Process Improvement Initiative

R. Park
W. Goethert
J. Webb

Special Report
CMU/SEI-94-SR-003

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This report describes efforts that have been initiated by the Software Engineering Institute to improve the practice of software cost and schedule estimating. These efforts involve support and participation from both industry and government. They are motivated by the capability maturity model, which identified the key roles estimating and cost management play in establishing repeatable software processes. Products from the initiative will include templates, criteria, and guidelines for establishing defined estimating processes, training materials, and examples for teaching good estimating practice, and evaluations of the abilities of contemporary cost models to meet today's estimating needs.