We use an architect/construction concept. We take the time to design the project by researching everything and learning all we can. We interview users, review current systems, databases, etc (where available). We then create a spec based on that.

Once we have the blueprint, we estimate the time using a best cast / worst case number of hours for each task. We then average the two numbers and multiply by a confidence factor. After all that, the owner of our company takes the proposal and adds all the other things that we don't normally consider - like meetings, testing, etc.


>I'll be working on a project for a system that I've just started learning. I will be making significant changes and also creating some things I'm not familiar with (creating services, working with ports, etc.). I need to give an estimate on the time I think it's going to take to do all this, but I'm having a hard time coming up with a way to do that. I normally find estimates hard, pretty much take an educated guess, add on 30%, and hope I'm close. Anyone have a better way? Thanks!