When we reviewed this local government’s project estimation process we found their results unreliable, often indecipherable and usually unrepeatable.
Background
The problem was that the Organisation had a detailed document describing the process, but estimators were left to their own devices. As such, the methods they used to establish their estimates varied wildly, were vulnerable to error and were almost impossible to understand without the original estimator’s guidance. As these estimates were used for budgeting purposes, they often found projects inadequately funded and this often adversely impacted the budgetary planning for current and future years.
Our solution
To improve this process, an application to manage the process that allowed key prices to be set by administrators. Estimators then focused only on quantities and project details. Once a project was established it could be saved outside the application and amended or updated with the latest prices at a future date. The application produced the finalised project schedule in the Organisation’s preferred format at the click of a button, which could then be used as part of the tendering process.
Delivery
The project took a little over a months’ work including a few days where the client used the application and identified some further improvements. We delivered the license-free application along with training for users and administrators in 2010.
Success?
After delivery in 2010 it wasn’t until 2017 when the organisation decided to request some changes to the application which we implemented.
Update 2023
The Organisation has just asked for some more changes to the application. That’s a 13-year lifespan for a bespoke application for an investment of maybe 35 consultant days.
Summary
A bespoke application written around the Organisation’s preferred method of pricing for about 2.5 consultant days a year. And more importantly the application helps the organisation to:
- unify the approach to estimating,
- accurately plan and estimate projects and future budgets,
- update a historical project’s pricing by just opening it clicking reprice,
- produce a current tender schedule for a project at the click of a button.
If you think you might benefit from a similar application, contact us.