Surya Digital - Early Stage Estimation on Client Projects: Lessons from a Real-Time Experience

Bhagyashri Shigarkanti

Dec 24, 2024

Overview

When a client comes in with a vision of what they want, the initial planning phase becomes pivotal. Estimation, a key part of this process, goes beyond mere number crunching. It’s about understanding what the client needs, questioning assumptions, and setting realistic expectations for everyone involved. This can be tricky, especially when dealing with high-level requirements for the first time.

Recently, during an estimation effort for a potential client, we learned some key lessons while listing features, identifying the must-haves for the Minimum Viable Product, and estimating the development effort. In the process, we reached an unbelievably high estimate for just one module making us take a step back and look what went wrong.

Two Common Pitfalls Identified, Which Any Team May Encounter

Assuming that everything the client had listed must be included in the MVP
Mistaking precision for accuracy

Let‘s break these down further & see what we learn!

Assumption: Everything Listed Is Part of the MVP

Clients often come with a broad list of features they envision for their product, though these are often high-level and not fully thought through. While such input is valuable, it’s essential to focus on zing features for a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), ensuring a incremental approach to delivery rather than attempting to include everything at once.

An MVP is about identifying and prioritizing the ‘must-haves’ that will provide value early, allowing the product to have early launches with iterative improvements. Simply including all client requests without filtering or questioning the ‘why’ behind each feature can lead to bloated scopes, extended timelines, and unnecessary complexities.

The role of the team is not just to deliver what is requested but to refine the client’s vision. This involves asking questions, analysing feasibility, and offering alternative solutions that align with business goals. By doing so, teams can help clients achieve ‘faster time-to-market’.

Mistaking Precision for Accuracy

Another challenge arises when teams focus on precision rather than accuracy in their estimates.

Accuracy: Saying, “This feature will take about a week to implement”, keeps expectations reasonable.
Precision: Claiming, “This feature will take exactly 34 hours”, might seem confident but is less likely to account for changes or setbacks.

In early project planning, focusing on accuracy allows teams to provide high-level estimates that guide decisions effectively without creating rigid or unrealistic expectations. Precise estimates at this stage, while detailed, can mislead and slow down progress if they don’t align with evolving project details. By doing this, teams fosters more productive conversations with clients, enabling them to make informed decisions faster.

Key Takeaways

Always question and refine client requirements to deliver the most value.
Remember, an MVP is about ‘minimal effort’ with ‘maximum viability’.
Prioritize ‘accuracy’ over precision in early-stage estimations.

Estimation is more than a technical exercise; it is a collaborative process between the client and the team which requires questioning and a clear focus to deliver faster, but with something that holds value.