Political Marketing and Software Project Estimation: Managing Promises and Realities
Political marketing was in full force a couple weeks ago. Whether watching a football game, the news, or a favorite TV show, it seemed every commercial break was filled with political ads—candidates trying to persuade voters and making promises about what they plan to accomplish in office. When a political candidate presents an agenda for their potential term, they often outline big plans and ambitious commitments. For instance, President John F. Kennedy’s famous pledge to land a man on the moon and return him safely to Earth was a bold promise—especially given that much of the required technology had yet to be invented. While such promises are inspiring, voters naturally want details about how these goals will be achieved. How much will they cost? How long will they take to implement? How much manpower will be required?
To evaluate these questions, politicians and their advisors rely on estimates to determine what resources are needed to deliver on their plans. Based on this analysis, campaign advisors can make informed recommendations on whether the plans are realistic and set expectations about what can realistically be accomplished within the term. Businesses developing new software applications go through a similar process to assess whether their efforts will truly benefit end users. The business side of the organization and stakeholders ask for estimates from the software team so they can make data-driven decisions about whether to proceed with development. Is the cost of creating the application worth the anticipated benefits? To answer that, they need a good estimate of what the project will cost, how long it will take, and what level of effort it will require.