Evaluation of the cost and deadlines of the project for many customers is the determining factor when choosing a developer company. The evaluation takes into account the requirements for the future product - based on them, we calculate how much time and specialists it will take to implement the project. It sounds simple, but, when calculating, you need to take into account a lot of details and lay down risks.
The article describes how the cost of projects in YuSMP Group is formed.
Preliminary assessment
At first contact the customer, our managers can already name an approximate range of prices for the development. It is difficult to call it an estimate, rather, familiarity with the market: sometimes clients do not represent the cost of work and do not count on the announced amounts.
This approach helps to filter out irrelevant applications and work only with suitable projects - this way we save time for the team and the customer.
YuSMP Group is engaged in custom development, and we never offer to re-write what is already on the market. That is, if the customer's project can fit into some kind of boxed solution, we will always tell about it and give the appropriate tip.
If the project still suits, at the request of the client, we can make the first rough assessment. Based on the rate and approximate labor costs, the real price at this stage can be up to 30% higher.
Detailed assessment
Several employees are engaged in a more accurate assessment of the project: usually an analyst, a designer, a project manager, as well as technical specialists.
In a few days, we analyze information about the project, make calculations, assemble a team, determine the pool of technologies. The experience of working with other cases provides additional support: we understand the subtle points and can lay the right number of hours.
The initial data of the project is completely different, so we work on the assessment individually each time. If the customer already has ready-made analytics at the time of the request, we can calculate only part of the development. If the project is only at the idea stage, we will evaluate the work from the very beginning.
How the evaluation is done
- Analytics and design evaluation
The analyst and the project manager make a list of functionalities (feature list), then the analyst and the designer evaluate each item.
- Development and testing evaluation
A project manager and an analyst make up a feature list, gather with developers and testers to immerse them in the meaningful part of the project. In the future, the technical team reviews the requirements and designs and evaluates the project, recording notes in the feature list.
A feature list is a Google document that reflects the business logic of the project and technical work on each feature. In the table, the client sees how many hours it will take for a particular task. Each position is justified and reasoned.
After the completion of the feature list, the project manager draws up a calendar plan and presents the project deadlines and budgets to the client.