Testing Effort Estimation
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This is one of the most crucial issues that the Testing team is facing now days in Software Industry. Your manager will simply ask for the effort estimation that is required to Test the software. He is definitely not aware of the fact that the Test team has no requirement documents. Or if he is aware by any chance, he will not consider this fact.

Recently, I have seen that one of the development lead was asking for the Test cases from the Test team without providing them the requirement documents. That was really a great fun. I don't know from where these guys are getting their engineering degrees.

Well, the problem is not with the estimation but with the clarity. If you are not aware of what you have to estimate, how you can estimate the exact deadlines. We should understand this fact that why these are called the Estimations not the Predictions. We should know the difference between the Estimations and Predictions.

Recently, I have seen an example where Test team has given an effort estimation which could not be met due to some miscommunications between the development and the Test team. But finally, all blame goes to the Test team saying that your estimation was wrong. That was one of the most horrible experience I have ever suffered.

I have seen some managers who are not aware of the difference between the Risks and the Dependencies. And officially, those guys are responsible for effort estimations in development cycle. Amazing.....

I think one of the major factors for providing the effort estimation for Testing is definitely the requirement documents. But one more important criteria that should be considered before, is the previous experience. Make a thumb rule that I will estimate twice the number of days that is actually required to test the system. If you don't do so, the blame will come to you only.

-- Sanat Sharma