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Ask a PM: How to Get Proper Estimates

LiquidPlanner

How do you deal with a team that refuses to estimate how long tasks will take? Estimating can be done in several solid ways, and frankly, it sounds as if your colleagues don’t know how to estimate properly or are scared to give you the timescales that pop into their heads. ” It depends on what?

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Zombie Estimation

Scrum.org

Zombie Estimation is where a team mechanically assigns story points to tasks without a true understanding or engagement in the purpose and method of estimation. The team goes through the motions of estimation, but the numbers lack consistency, insight, and fail to facilitate effective planning or reflection.

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How to Create a Timeline in Excel (Free Templates Included)

ProjectManager.com

Learn how to create a timeline that can be used to visualize how tasks or projects will be executed over time, identify who will be responsible for completing them and identify milestones and deliverables. But there are some other advantages of learning how to make a timeline in Excel using our method.

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Cost Estimation for Projects: How to Estimate Accurately

ProjectManager.com

Good cost estimation is essential for keeping a project under budget. Many costs can appear over the life cycle of a project, and an accurate estimation method can be the difference between a successful plan and a failed one. Estimation, however, is easier said than done. An Overview of Cost Estimation.

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Drive Better Results for Your Professional Services Firm Part 2: Deliver Profitable Projects

Speaker: Patrick Connally and Andy Yeomans

Inaccurate or unrealistic project estimates, ineffective resource management, and lack of visibility into project burn rates and progress can all negatively impact the overall performance and profitability of a project. Many factors can impact the ultimate profitability of professional services projects.

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Project Estimate Template

ProjectManager.com

The more accurate your estimates, the more likely you’ll keep to your budget and deliver a project on time. Using a project estimate template is the perfect way to get your project planning on the right track. Download the Project Estimate Template. Download the Project Estimate Template. When to Use an Estimate Template.

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Estimate at Completion: A Complete Guide + Template

Rebel’s Guide to PM

In this article, I’ll explain what Estimate at Completion is for project managers, how to use it (because there are 4 different ways) and give you examples. Estimate at completion (EAC) in project management tells you how much the project will cost when the work is finished. What is the formula for estimate at completion?

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