Identifying and quantifying the effort drivers
Effort or task drivers are those components which increase the time taken to complete a task.
Getting ready
Before starting, it is important to have an understanding of the size of the project and, if possible, some historical data from past projects.
How to do it...
Once you have created the work breakdown structure, reopen this spreadsheet:
1. Create a column called Effort Drivers:
2. For each task, identify what will drive an increase or decrease in the amount of effort required to complete the task:
3. Complete step 2 for all the tasks identified at the lowest level.
4. Add an additional column for the number of effort drivers, for example, Number of Interviews - 5
How it works...
By identifying the task drivers, you are getting an understanding of the number of components or variables within your project, which can drive the scope and duration.
There's more...
Lessons learned, or historical data from past projects, is a great asset to be used...
