Efforts Estimation, with Timelines - for a typical Cognos Planning Implementatio

[araryes]

Hi - Can any one explain to me how to logically go about (highlevel) estimating the efforts required for a typical Cognos Planning implementation, from the scratch.
Also, what are the areas that can run parallel (overalapping time) and what are all the activities that need to strictly happen in succesion etc. Just a brief idea will help

[shon]

We use a normal excel file for effort estimation, based on experience approximately add the time/efforts required to make changes to dlist, dlink etc. But, am looking for a btter approach. If anyone uses anything different, do let us know.

SHON.

[StuartS]

An approach I have used is called Function Point Analysis Methodolgy

It takes a little getting used to. 

Cheers

Stuart

[lav4you]

There are no set of specifications for cognos planning project time-lines but you can breakdown the entire project plan into milestones, each milestone into activities and after considering available resources you can make generic effort-time estimation..

following is an example of major milestones and task

1 Design
Requirement Gathering
User meetings
Process understanding
Data source identification

Design Document
Preparing high level data flow document
Application & library structure determination

2 Build
Installation & Configuration
Preparation of hardware (servers)
Database and web server installation
Cognos installation & configuration
Testing of configuration

Modeling
Building D-lists D-cubes and D-links according to design document
Creating contributor application(elist-acess) and formatting

Prototype Testing
Testing calculation and data links
Corrections and changes

Security Implentation
Application ownership identification
User access finalization

3 UAT
User Acceptance Test
User testing of application
Testing of inter-application data integration
UAT changes implementation

Project Documentation
Technical documentation
User guide
Administration documentation

4 Go Live and Training
User training
User interface training
Application maintenance training

Go Live
Production server installation
Application deployment to production server & testing
Handover
Support

May this is not be the perfect plan but I have tried to cover the maximum... based on experience one can estimate the timeline considering this steps as a generic guide ...
there are many task can be done in parallel like design documentation & installation or
training & go live etc.....

I hope this will help you for ur project planning


Cheers

Jitesh H.V. Parmar

[craig_karr]

I think that the list above is a good starting point for a time estimate, but I think one essential part is missing; export to a datawarehouse which is needed in almost every Planning project.

[lav4you]

I tried my best craig.... thanks for the add-ons...