ProjectExperts Articles: Twenty Years of Better IT Estimating Software
Stacy Goff, PMP (published 1999)

Over the years we have seen the power of Information Technology Estimating Software Packages evolve. Our favorites are always changing as new tools emerge, old ones change hands, or breakthrough products emerge. We have used these estimating software packages going back to the early 80's, and still today each one has its strengths and weaknesses. The truth is, not one of them is perfect. On the other hand, every one of them will help you improve estimates, giving you more information than you currently have available.

We describe the packages below, ranked in rough sequence of introduction.

CA-Estimacs
Howard Rubin's original innovative estimating package has over a dozen different estimating models. Now owned by Computer Associates, CA-Estimacs supports estimates of Project Effort, Staffing & Cost, Hardware Requirements, Risk Analysis, Portfolio, Maintenance, Financial Analysis & ROI, Function Point Estimator, Small Project Estimator (their small project is really quite large), and a Strategic Planning module. In our experience this product's algorithms for early project estimating seem to be better (more accurate) than the models used by most other packages, but it is pretty user-ugly and very sensitive to tuning of the data base to your enterprise history. Latest price: $25K.

Before You Leap
This innovative software package was the first (that we know of) to combine the COCOMO (COnstructive COst MOdel) Cost Driver work of Barry Boehm with use of Function Points for scope measurement, as opposed to lines of code. Of course, Rubin did have SuperPoints in the last 5 questions in CA-Estimacs. But what ever happened to Gordon Group, anyway? For $495 BYL would still be a bargain 15 years later!

SPQR/20
Developed by T. Capers Jones, the name comes from his company's initials, and the 20 reflects the 20 questions you answer to get an estimate. If you have good requirements, the information is extremely valuable. The package provided excellent effort and cost estimating, then reflected his emphasis on software quality and productivity metrics, by providing information about number and origin of defects, when you will find them, time to first failure, time to stability and projected maintenance costs. Price in 1987: $5000.

PMS/Bridge
A product of Applied Business Technology (recently acquired by Niku), this package works well with the popular project management software package, Project Workbench. Its features include effort and cost estimating, risk assessment, financial analysis, "what if" modeling and ability to export the results into Project Workbench, using the Repository. It also collects actuals from Project Workbench and stores them in the model, to fine tune the history data base. In the late 80's we collaborated with the original developer of Bridge as we developed Plan By Example® while he worked on Bridge.

CheckPoint
Developed by T. Capers Jones, this package was an update and extension of SPQR/20 (see above) with an easier-to use interface and a lot more research behind the databases. This product's strengths are in the areas of defect management and Quality Assurance metrics. These products have been superceded by newer ones. Recent price: $25K.

Estimate Professional
Developed by Steve McConnell (consultant and author, Rapid Development and others), and marketed by Software Productivity Center, Inc. This killer product has been one of our favorites for the last three years, and we recommend it often. Sporting many of the best features of the other software packages, Estimate Pro goes further than most. For example, you can select your project type, technology, language, and model alternative schedules. Wanna go real fast? A scatter-diagram shows the risk of aggressive schedules. A bargain at $1K! Want a better bargain? At McConnell's website (construx.com), he offers a demo version. It doesn't sport as many features and the databases are not as up-to-date, but for free, it is enough to convince you to spring for the real thing.

Our Point of View
The information in the chart below is subjective, based on our evaluation of the features of different software products. We have included our Quest For Better Estimates (Quest FBE) in the evaluation as a reference point, along with the commercial packages discussed earlier. Quest FBE is a simple spreadsheet-based estimating model that incorporates Function Point estimating together with COCOMO II factors to arrive at an effort estimate. We include Quest For Better Estimates™ only for comparison purposes.

Evaluation of Software Packages

Here's an explanation of the columns on the chart:

Summary
Your choice of an Estimating Software Package depends on the requirements of your projects. We'll repeat the statement made earlier: Any commercial package will give you more information than you currently have.