DEV Community: Sadman Abedin

Effort Estimation in Software Project Management

Sadman Abedin — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 15:36:00 +0000

What is Effort Estimantion?

Effort estimation is the art of forecasting the effort required to complete a project successfully. Traditionally, it's measured in person hours.

It's a crucial aspect of software project management since it ensures proper resource allocation, precise budgeting, and practical scheduling. It assists in the early identification of potential hazards, effective communication with stakeholders, and evaluating performance. Successful project outcomes rely heavily on proper project estimation.

Ways to Estimate Efforts in a Project

Although there is a variety of ways through which the efforts in a project could be effectively estimated, here in this article we'll talk about the 4 most common techniques.

Top-Down Approach

This is quite a classical approach to estimating efforts. In this approach, a rough estimation is made using a bird-eye view of the overall project. Then the entire estimation is divided into smaller segments of the project. This is a very quick and simplistic approach.

Bottom-Up Approach

Opposite to the top-down approach, the project is first broken down into smaller tasks and sub-tasks in this method. Then an estimation of effort is made for each of the smaller components and the final effort is estimated from the accumulation of all these mini-efforts.

Expert judgement

This approach involves harnessing the experience of seasoned tech professionals who would analyze the project beforehand and draw a rough estimation based on their years of experience. This approach is helpful for those projects where historical data are largely inadequate.

Three-points Estimation

The three-point estimation is an interesting approach that aims to bring out a highly accurate estimation of efforts considering three different scenarios:

Optimistic Scenario

This is the best possible scenario when everything goes on smoothly without any sort of hazards or failures. This tends to be the scenario with the lowest cost and the shortest time.

Pessimistic Scenario

This is the worst-case scenario where all sorts of anticipated errors and failures occur which result in the highest expenditure and longest consumption of time.

Most Likely Scenario

This is pretty much the average of the two scenarios mentioned above. Known as the most probable scenario; this approach makes an assumption on the basis of typical situations and adversaries and comes up with the most realistic duration and cost for the project.

Conclusion

Effort estimation in project management is a major prerequisite for the successful accomplishment of any project, hence it needs to be dealt with utmost cautiousness and expertise. Different projects have different requirements which is why traditional approaches might not always work. The best strategy would be coming up with the proper estimation technique after considering all the available options and finding what suits the project the best.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Sadman Abedin — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 15:09:56 +0000

As a part of my course on Software Project Management, I learned about this new thing: Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). After doing an ample amount of research on this topic, I decided to write an article about it explaining WBS in the simplest terms.

What is WBS?

Every complex thing has to be broken down into smaller parts to be efficiently accomplished, software projects are no different in this regard. When you have a complex project and want to ensure the project is managed and completed properly, maintaining the highest possible standards; you break it down into smaller tasks. The broken-down structure is precisely known as WBS.

Types of WBS

Primarily there are two types of WBS:

Deliverable-Based WBS
Phase-Based WBS

Deliverable-Based WBS

In this WBS, the work is first broken down into small deliverable units which are meant to be completed one after another.
Each of the deliverable units is then broken down into sub-units for better understanding and easier accomplishment.

Phase-Based WBS

In this category of WBS, instead of deliverables, the work is broken down into phases; each phase consists of a whole range of activities to be completed. A phase stars generally after the previous phase ends.

Key points about a WBS

Here are some key points that should be taken care of to design a proper and clearly understandable WBS.

Control Account

A control account is a checkpoint that helps us monitor and manage the project's budget and resources effectively. It also helps us measure the performance of the project. Benefits of WBS include early detection of problems, providing a clear picture of resource consumption, and many more.

Planning Package

A planning package represents a higher level of task that needs to be broken down into smaller units to be accomplished. These are often used to estimate and allocate resources for specific segments of the project. In other words, planning packages often serve as control accounts.

Work Package

A work package is the smallest unit or leaf-level unit of a WBS because the work generally cannot be broken down further. It's a collection of related tasks to achieve a specific outcome in a project.

For a better understanding, have a look at this diagram.

Gantt Chart

A Gantt chart is a specific type of chart in project management that is used to describe the project schedule. It basically describes the sequence in which the project tasks have to be completed. Each Gantt chart has two parts: a list of tasks on the left and a timeline on the right.

These are mostly the basic concepts related to WBS. A deeper study of project management will enable us to know about more concepts but these primary tasks lay the foundation of seemingly complete WBS and deliver the project plan and timeline properly to the stakeholders.

Feel free to share your thoughts and also do more research on WBS and project management to get a deeper understanding.

MBA or MS: Which One to Pursue as a CS Grad?

Sadman Abedin — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 18:46:34 +0000

Like many other CS grads, I used to have this confusion whether to pursue an MBA or an MS after completing my bachelor's in Computer Science. At first, I thought of pursuing an MBA since everything is business and as a tech professional, I should have ample understanding of how businesses function. On the other side, I also thought it would be beneficial to pursue an MS in CS with a focus on my preferred topic.

So what did I choose?

After a lot of thinking, I decided to go for the MS degree. In the following segments, I'll describe my thought processes behind coming up with this decision.

Why MS?

Here are the reasons why:

As per whatever I have understood, for a tech professional to have an UNDERSTANDING of the business world, an MBA isn't required; that would probably be an overkill. One can learn the ins and outs of businesses while working; it's more like spontaneous learning- you don't study it academically, rather you accumulate and fathom everything subconsciously.
Since I am working as a Project Engineer at my current company, and have plans to gradually move towards a software development role, it's better for me to know software engineering principles, concepts of system design, advanced concepts of databases, etc. To be honest, these can be learned without a master's degree, but learning them through a master's degree where you'll have the opportunity to implement them in real-time with pet projects, definitely has its own advantages.
And finally, you might get in touch with faculties who are conducting research on interesting topics. I did a web development project in the final year of my bachelor's, but I don't have a publication as of now (2024). So it would be a good opportunity to do some publications with qualified researchers who would guide you through the entire process.

Why not an MBA?

Let me also talk about the reasons behind not choosing to pursue an MBA:

Not being from a business studies background, an MBA is gonna take me a comparatively bigger body of studies to deal with, which is obviously not a bad thing so to speak. But not being able to majorly co-relate my studies with my present job is something I don't deem productive.
To get a software engineering/development role and higher in the tech hierarchy, nobody needs an MBA degree, sometimes an MS is required but mostly it's not. So I don't see a convincing reason to go for an MBA as a CS grad.

Do I regret it?

I am just about to start my MS, so it would be way too early to say whether I regret it or not. Let me start tolerating it first, dealing with the unimaginable difficulties of managing my job, and postgraduate studies along with being a family man (I recently got married). The path is going to be hard, but I am highly optimistic about it being fruitful. Let's see, what the upcoming days have to offer me!

Conclusion

We all have our reasons behind the decisions we make. Not everyone thinks alike, so there will be differences of opinion. If you happen to be one of those struggling with what I just talked about, you better try understanding your situations and future goals and decide what suits you the best. Consider my thoughts as a way of decision-making for you, at the end it's your life, so it should be your and only your call. All the best!

Comparing Coding Platforms: LeetCode, CodeWars, CodeSignal, and HackerRank

Sadman Abedin — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 04:10:23 +0000

Introduction
As an individual who has delved into the world of programming and coding challenges, I have had the opportunity to explore several platforms, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Among the platforms I have utilized are LeetCode, CodeWars, CodeSignal, and HackerRank. Allow me to share my experiences and insights regarding these platforms, highlighting their pros and cons.

Leetcode

LeetCode has been my go-to platform, primarily because I have successfully solved the largest number of problems here. One of the significant advantages of LeetCode is its vast collection of coding challenges. This extensive repertoire ensures that there is always a problem to suit your skill level or area of interest. Additionally, LeetCode provides more comprehensive and better test cases compared to other platforms. The vibrant and large community associated with LeetCode is another positive aspect, as it allows for interaction, discussions, and sharing of solutions with fellow coders. Furthermore, LeetCode offers a solution working at the backdrop, which provides the correct answer for any randomly generated test case. This feature greatly assists in identifying flaws in your solution. However, it is worth mentioning that some of the problems on LeetCode are occasionally poorly explained. Another drawback is that the output generation feature is not available for interviews conducted via LeetCode, which can be inconvenient.

Codewars

CodeWars is another platform I have found useful, having solved a considerable number of problems here. One notable aspect of CodeWars is its impressive user interface, which enhances the overall user experience. The platform also offers a good collection of coding challenges that cater to various skill levels. However, a downside of CodeWars is that it lacks the ability to generate correct output for random test cases. In other words, there is no readily available correct solution working at the backdrop, which can make it more challenging to validate your code.

CodeSignal

Although I did not solve many problems on CodeSignal, I did participate in random coding tests. What struck me as highly advantageous about CodeSignal is its ability to generate correct output for any random test case, even during coding tests. This feature proved to be extremely useful, as it allowed me to validate my code promptly. Unfortunately, due to limited usage, I cannot provide a detailed analysis of its drawbacks and must give it the benefit of the doubt.

Hackerrank

HackerRank is another platform where I tackled a few problems. It stands out for its abundant collection of beginner-friendly problems, making it an excellent choice for individuals who are new to programming and looking to build their skills. However, unlike the aforementioned coding platforms, HackerRank requires you to write the entire code yourself. Personally, I find this to be somewhat arduous and time-consuming. I encountered an instance where I struggled with a particular problem on HackerRank, attempting to solve it using Python. However, the output had to be formatted as a string with spaces between numbers, which proved to be a tricky task in Python. While HackerRank processed C/C++ solutions for this problem, it lacked the mechanism to process Python solutions. It was an exasperating experience that left me feeling frustrated.

Can there be a perfect or a near-perfect coding site?

In my opinion, the optimal solution lies in combining LeetCode and CodeSignal. LeetCode, with its extensive collection and robust test cases, serves as an excellent platform. However, it would greatly benefit from adding the output generation mechanism for the interviewing feature as well. This enhancement would eliminate the need to write a separate brute-force solution for stress testing during interviews. Stress testing is not always feasible, particularly for problems for which brute-force solutions are much harder to think of than trivial approaches. Additionally, the time constraints of interviews may make it impractical to carry out stress testing. If LeetCode incorporates this feature, it would become a nearly perfect online judge for programmers.

Conclusion

Confused about which one should you choose?

Well, I encourage individuals interested in coding challenges and improving their programming skills to explore platforms like LeetCode, CodeWars, CodeSignal, and HackerRank. Each platform offers unique merits, such as extensive problem collections, comprehensive test cases, user-friendly interfaces, or beginner-friendly content. By engaging with these platforms, programmers can gain exposure to diverse challenges, enhance problem-solving abilities, and benefit from the supportive coding communities provided by each platform.

Feel free to have a look at my profiles on these coding sites:

Leetcode: https://leetcode.com/sadman022/

Hackerrank: https://www.hackerrank.com/sadman022

Codewars: https://www.codewars.com/users/Abedin022

CodeSignal: https://app.codesignal.com/profile/sadman022