Project Estimation Guide

Document Control

• Last Updated: February 4, 2025
• Version: 2.0.0
• Status: Active
• Owner: Project Management Team
• Next Review: May 4, 2025

Overview

At GravityVC, we follow a bottom-up approach for project estimation. This approach involves breaking down projects into small, manageable work items that can be completed within 4 hours or less. By aggregating these granular estimates, we create accurate and reliable project timelines.

Core Principles

1. Maximum Task Size: Each work item should be estimated at 4 hours maximum
2. Granular Breakdown: Projects must be broken down into detailed, specific tasks
3. Clear Deliverables: Each task should have a clear, measurable outcome
4. Buffer Inclusion: Add 20% buffer for unforeseen complexities
5. Regular Review: Review and adjust estimates based on actual progress

Estimation Process

1. Project Breakdown

1. Break the project into major features
2. Divide features into components
3. Split components into specific tasks
4. Ensure each task is ≤ 4 hours

2. Task Definition

Each task should include:

• Clear description
• Definition of Done
• Dependencies
• Required skills
• Expected output

3. Effort Estimation

• Estimate each task in hours (max 4)
• Consider complexity factors
• Account for dependencies
• Include review time
• Add testing effort

4. Buffer Calculation

• Technical buffer: 10%
• Communication buffer: 5%
• Integration buffer: 5%

Example Project Estimation

Project: E-commerce Product Catalog

1. Feature Breakdown

Feature	Components	Tasks (≤4h each)	Hours
Product Listing	Frontend UI	Design product card component	4
		Implement grid layout	4
		Add sorting functionality	4
		Implement filters UI	4
	Backend API	Design database schema	3
		Create CRUD endpoints	4
		Implement search API	4
		Add filtering logic	4
	Integration	Connect frontend with API	3
		Implement error handling	2
		Add loading states	2
Product Details	Frontend UI	Design detail page layout	4
		Implement image gallery	4
		Add specifications section	3
		Create related products component	4
	Backend API	Create product detail endpoint	3
		Add related products logic	4
		Implement caching	4
	Integration	Connect with backend	2
		Add error states	2
		Implement loading skeleton	3

2. Effort Summary

Category	Raw Hours	With Buffer (20%)
Frontend Development	32	38.4
Backend Development	22	26.4
Integration	14	16.8
Total	68	81.6

3. Timeline Calculation

Factor	Hours	Days (8h/day)
Raw Development Time	68	8.5
With 20% Buffer	81.6	10.2
Final Estimate	82	11

Task Breakdown Template

Feature: [Feature Name]
Description: [Brief description of the feature]

Components:
1. [Component Name]
   - Task: [Specific task ≤4h]
     * Description: [Clear description]
     * Dependencies: [List dependencies]
     * Skills Required: [Required skills]
     * Expected Output: [Measurable outcome]
     * Estimated Hours: [≤4]

Best Practices

Do's

• Break down tasks until they're ≤4 hours
• Include time for code review and testing
• Consider dependencies and integration points
• Account for documentation time
• Include buffer for unforeseen issues

Don'ts

• Create tasks larger than 4 hours
• Ignore dependencies between tasks
• Skip buffer allocation
• Forget about non-coding activities
• Underestimate integration complexity

Estimation Review Checklist

• All tasks are ≤4 hours
• Dependencies are identified
• Buffer is included
• Integration points are considered
• Non-development tasks are included
• Review and testing time allocated
• Documentation effort included

Related Documents

• Project Planning Template
• Work Breakdown Structure Guide
• Risk Assessment Template
• Resource Allocation Guide