17-622 Estimating Software Development and Maintenance Projects

Time, resources and money are the three criteria by which society and organizations decide what gets built, how it is built, and by whom.   The importance of having credible and reliable estimates cannot be overstressed.

The objective of this course is to help students understand how to develop estimates for software development and maintenance projects, how to communicate them to others, and how to include them in a contract.  Although the orientation is basically quantitative, the course will delve into the cognitive biases and the administrative behaviors that affect the estimation process. The course will also address the use of parametric models and counting.

Prerequisites: Foundational knowledge of probability and statistics, as well as an understanding of algebra and basic calculus, is expected.
Units: 9 
Schedule:  Summer semester