Estimation Record¶
Template purpose¶
Use this template to record how estimates were produced and where uncertainty remains.
Estimates are engineering judgments, not promises. A professional estimate should preserve the basis, assumptions, confidence level, and uncertainty so planning decisions remain reviewable.
Project¶
<Project name>
Document control¶
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Artifact owner | <owner> |
| Primary reviewers | <reviewers> |
| Status | <draft / in review / accepted / revised> |
| Last updated | <YYYY-MM-DD> |
| Related Engineering Stage | ES-103 — Planning and Work Breakdown |
| Project workspace target | docs/project-workspace/planning/estimation_record.md |
Estimation method¶
Describe how estimates were produced.
<method: expert judgment, analogy, decomposition, timebox, spike, team planning, historical comparison, uncertainty banding, etc.>
Effort bands¶
Use effort bands rather than false precision:
- 30–60 minutes
- 1–2 hours
- half day
- full day
- multiple iterations
- unknown until investigation
Estimate register¶
| Work Package | Estimate | Confidence | Basis | Uncertainty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
<WP-ID> |
<effort band> |
<low / medium / high> |
<basis> |
<uncertainty> |
<notes> |
Estimate assumptions¶
| ID | Assumption | Affects Estimate For | Validation Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| EA-001 | <assumption> |
<WP-ID> |
<yes / no / later> |
Items requiring investigation¶
| Item | Why Estimate Is Uncertain | Investigation Needed | Owner | Needed By |
|---|---|---|---|---|
<item> |
<reason> |
<spike / research / review / prototype / vendor check / data review> |
<owner> |
<date or stage> |
AI-assisted estimation notes¶
Use this section if AI was used to draft, compare, or challenge estimates.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Was AI used to support estimation? | <yes / no> |
| What AI output was used? | <summary> |
| What human review was performed? | <review> |
| What evidence was preserved? | <AI use log, notes, prompt/output reference> |
Estimate risk summary¶
| Risk | Affected Work Packages | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
<risk> |
<WP-IDs> |
<mitigation> |
Review checklist¶
- [ ] Estimates use effort bands rather than false precision.
- [ ] Confidence is recorded.
- [ ] Basis and uncertainty are recorded.
- [ ] Items needing investigation are identified.
- [ ] Estimate assumptions are visible.
- [ ] AI-assisted estimation is reviewed and evidenced if used.
- [ ] Estimate risks are considered.