As with any tool it is important to match it to the job: using a screwdriver as a chisel will yield poor results. The same is true when detailed project planning tools are improperly applied to perform the distinct function of software estimation.

Here are some of the primary issues to think about when evaluating commercial estimation products.

A superior estimation solution/tool should consider:

Maturity	Established and Stable: Does it have a track record of proven, real-world use? Proven and Tested: How long has it been in the marketplace? How many customers and users has it supported over that time? Accepted: Are the clients and end users satisfied with the results/outputs? Trusted: How reliable and useful are the estimate outputs?
Configurability	CAN IT: Be configured to the way you do business (instead of the other way around)? Accommodate your own specific development lifecycles and milestones? Allow for the customizing of Work Breakdown Structures? Tailor for unique staff skill and defect categories? Help with resource demand forecasting based on defensible estimates? Leverage the range of sizing and product engineering artifacts available at all points in the complete estimate cycle?
Adaptability	IS IT: Able to easily capture and manage your own company’s historical data? Capable of calibrating for many application domains and emerging technologies? Functional enough to generate quick, sanity-check feasibility estimates? Designed to store historical data in templates for specific application domains?
Flexibility	WILL IT: Accommodate new development methods/technologies Model emerging new ways of developing software - in a legitimate way that does not sacrifice its core value/features?
Objectivity	CAN IT: Objectively quantify the quality of the estimate relative to known uncertainties and risk – backed up by industry data if necessary? Express and assess project risks mathematically?
Pragmatism	DOES IT: “Learn” over time by incorporating real world constraints and history? Allow for solutions that account for explicit project or organizational constraints (schedule, effort, staffing, and functionality)?
Intuitiveness	IS THE UI: Designed well? Capable of enhancing the ability of the estimators to both communicate and defend various estimation scenarios? Produce outputs that support briefings and improved (realistic) project planning?
Efficiency	WILL IT: Generate and compare alternative scenarios, effectively and efficiently? Permit a way to compare multiple alternatives, storing them for posterity?
Fidelity	CAN IT: “Curve-fit” or compare estimates against actual data over time? Support the capability to monitor actual progress against the original estimate, providing comparisons of schedule, effort, staffing, functionality and defects to baseline plans?
Durability	DOES IT HANDLE: Both single and multiple releases? Dependencies across multiple release estimates? Global updates for multi-release situations?
Accessibility	Can it be installed one a standalone PC, networked or cloud-based?

Estimation Solution Supplier Capability

The supplier capability can be as important as the tool itself in a successful tool implementation. You are buying more than a tool, you are selecting a partner to help you implement and deploy the solution. Here are some important facts to consider:

ASSESSING THE SOFTWARE ESTIMATION SOLUTION SUPPLIER:

REPUTATION	How long has the supplier been around? What is their track record?
EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCE	How passionate are the people who support the tool? How many years of domain experience do they have? What do customers say about the supplier competence?
INNOVATION TRACK RECORD	Is the supplier an innovator or a copier? Do they have a track record of bringing new ideas and product to market? Are they passionate about finding new and better ways to do things? Are they open to new ideas and ways of doing things?
CUSTOMER SUPPORT	What does their customer profile look like? Do they provide responsive technical and help desk support? What do current customers say about that support? Do they provide initial ramp-up sessions and ongoing mentoring?
DEPLOYMENT SUPPORT	To what extent is the supplier able to assist in deployment planning and execution? Do they focus on deployment and change management?
TRAINING SUPPORT	Is there product training available? How frequently? Is it public, on-line, in-house? What is the cost? How effective is the training based on customer feedback? Are there professional certification programs available?
CONSULTING SUPPORT	Is additional consulting support available if required? What is the skill and track record of the professional services operation?
TOOL INTEGRATION SUPPORT	Does the supplier have the capability to build or assist in the building of product integrations? Is there a published Application Programming Interface (API). Are there published examples of API integrations?

Application and Tool Utility

Application and Tool Utility

Estimation Solution Supplier Capability